The death toll from last week’s anti-corruption protests in Nepal has climbed to 72, the health ministry confirmed on Sunday, as search and recovery teams continue to unearth bodies from torched buildings.
“Bodies of many people who died in shopping malls, houses and other buildings that were set on fire or attacked are now being discovered,” ministry spokesperson Prakash Budathoki said.
The unrest, the deadliest in decades, has also left at least 2,113 injured, according to the latest figures.
Government offices, police posts, and businesses were targeted, while the Supreme Court, parliament, and the private residences of senior politicians including President Ramchandra Paudel and outgoing Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli were set ablaze.
Oli resigned last week after mass demonstrations swept across Kathmandu and other cities. In a dramatic political shift, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was appointed interim prime minister.
She has been tasked with steering the country through the crisis and overseeing fresh parliamentary elections, now scheduled for March 5.
The violence was sparked by mounting anger over corruption and a controversial social media ban that further inflamed public frustration.
Protesters, largely from Nepal’s younger generation, clashed with security forces in scenes that have shaken the nation’s political establishment.
While calm has tentatively returned to some areas, authorities warn that the full extent of the destruction remains unclear.
