Nepal Interim Government Forms Panel to Probe 72 Deaths During Gen Z Protests

Nepal's interim government, led by Sushila Karki, has formed a three-member high-level judicial inquiry commission to investigate the deaths of 72 people during the 'Gen Z' protests that occurred on September 8 and 9, which also led to the fall of the KP Sharma Oli government. The commission is headed by former Supreme Court judge Gauri Bahadur Karki and includes former police official Bigyan Ran Sharma and legal expert Bishweshwor Prasad Bhandari, and it has been given three months to submit its findings. The Gen Z protests were sparked by public anger over alleged corruption and a social media ban, resulting in violent demonstrations that included police shootings and clashes with protesters. The group has called for the arrest of former Prime Minister Oli and then-Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, blaming them for a police shootout that killed 19 people during the protests. The violence also involved attacks on the residences of political leaders, including former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba, who was beaten by a mob, and the death of Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, wife of former PM Jhalanath Khanal, in a house fire. The interim government has declared those who died as martyrs and announced financial compensation for their families.