Families Allege Security Forces Shot Protesters Directly in Head and Chest During Anti-Corruption Movement

Kathmandu. 76 people died when the state suppressed the Gen-Z youths who took to the streets demanding good governance and an end to corruption on Bhadra 23 and 24. The details of the incident provided by the families of the youths killed in the Gen-Z movement to the investigation commission led by Gauribahadur Karki, formed to investigate the same incident, mention that security personnel fired directly at the head, chest, and neck of unarmed citizens without any warning.

Mausam Kulung, the brother of Pravin Kulung who was killed in the movement, stated that the police suddenly opened fire during the protest.

“My brother collapsed on the street after being hit by a bullet fired from inside the police post. While I was crying out for help, holding my brother in my lap, I saw that a bullet had pierced his right chest and exited through his back. Blood was flowing from his body,” Mausam stated in his testimony. “When we reached the hospital, the doctor declared him dead.”

Dhiraj Shrestha, who was preparing to go abroad after completing his undergraduate studies, was also killed in the agitation on Bhadra 24. His father, Narayan Shrestha, stated in his testimony, “When my youngest son left home, he said he was going for the good of the country. But that same son was declared dead by Taksheshwor Hospital.”

Similarly, Ganesh Prasad Chaulagain, the father of Shriyam Chaulagain, who was studying in Grade 12, said he had hoped his son was at college, but that was not the case. “Since he was a student who went to college, I hoped he would be at college. I spoke to him at 1 PM,” he said, “but by 3:15 PM, the hospital had already declared him dead after he was shot in the head at Baneshwor Chowk.”

Rachana Khatiwada Khatri (mother of Rasik Khatiwada), who lost her only son, testified that her son went to join the Gen-Z movement and was later killed after being shot in the chest and side.

Likewise, Kaji Ratna, the elder brother of Binod Maharjan, stated that Binod was shot twice in the mouth, which exited through the back of his head, according to him. The father of another deceased, Shauran Kishor Shrestha, Basanta Kishor, stated that his son was found to have been shot twice in the chest and had shrapnel wounds on his arm and neck. The investigation commission has included the testimonies of 15 family members of the deceased in the incident details paper in its report.