In one of the many powerful visuals emerging from violence-hit Nepal, ministers and their family members were seen clinging to a rescue sling of an army helicopter. A short-lived ban on social media platforms has prompted violent protests in Kathmandu, forcing the prime minister KP Sharma Oli to resign and flee the country and mobilising the military to restore order.
Nepal soldiers guarded the streets of the country's capital today and ordered people to stay at home as they moved to restore order in the city that was engulfed in violence and chaos in the previous days.
On Tuesday, a mob of tens of thousands - led by 'Gen Z' protesters -vandalised the houses of several government officials and set the Parliament building on fire. They also set ablaze the house of Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung, hurled stones at the residence of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Biswo Paudel and attacked the house of former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.
A video showed the Nepal Finance Minister being chased through a street and kicked by protesters. Another video showed a mob attacking Nepal's Foreign Affairs Minister Arzu Rana Deuba and her husband, former prime minister and Nepali Congress chief Sher Bahadur Deuba, at their Kathmandu home.
Even as these distressing visuals were splashed on social media, Army helicopters managed to ferry some ministers and their family members to safety.
In a video, Mr Deuba was seen bleeding from his face and sitting helplessly in a field before the authorities arrived at the scene to rescue him.
Another video showed a helicopter rescuing some officials. The helicopter, with officials in its rescue basket, was flying over a hotel in Kathmandu. A huge plume of smoke was also seen in the video.
The prisoners also set fire to buildings with cells and guard houses and broke down the main entrance before pouring into the streets. The soldiers were able to block the escape attempt and transferred the prisoners to different jails.
The demonstrations began after the government blocked social media platforms, including Facebook, X and YouTube, saying those companies had failed to register and submit to government oversight.
The protests spiralled to reflect broader discontent.
Many young people are angry that the children of political leaders - so-called nepo kids - seem to enjoy luxury lifestyles and numerous advantages while most youth struggle to find work. With youth unemployment running at about 20 percent last year, according to the World Bank, the government estimates that more than 2,000 young people leave the country every day to seek work in the Middle East or Southeast Asia.
