Simara(Nepal): Simara remained tense on Thursday as protesters continued to clash with police from early morning, forcing authorities to impose a day-long curfew to control the deteriorating situation. Officials confirmed that movement has been restricted between 1 pm and 8 pm local time.
Assistant Chief District Officer Chhabiraman Subedi said the curfew had to be reimposed after violence escalated. The unrest follows Wednesday’s clash in which six “Gen Z” protesters were injured, further intensifying anger on the streets.
According to police, tensions spiked after leaders of the Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) party planned a visit to the district ahead of elections scheduled for March 5, 2026. Trouble broke out when a Buddha Air flight carrying CPN-UML general secretary Shankar Pokharel and youth leader Mahesh Basnet prepared to depart from Kathmandu for Simara, where they were expected to address an anti-government rally.
As the confrontation worsened, police fired teargas at demonstrators, prompting airport authorities to temporarily suspend operations. The clashes added to the already volatile atmosphere in the district.
Simara has witnessed repeated waves of unrest in recent months. In September, at least 76 people were killed during massive demonstrations triggered by public anger over a brief government ban on social media. The protests, largely led by groups under the “Gen Z” banner, eventually forced then–Prime Minister and UML chairman KP Oli to resign. Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki later assumed charge as Nepal’s first woman prime minister in an interim government.
Authorities said further security measures are being evaluated as the region braces for more political activity ahead of next year’s elections.
