Gen Z protests wreck 486 police units, 1,247 firearms looted

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Sept. 29: The nationwide protests led by the Gen-Z movement escalated into violent clashes earlier this month, leaving 486 police units across the country either fully or partially damaged, and 1,247 firearms looted, according to the Nepal Police Headquarters.

On September 8, police opened fire on demonstrators attempting to storm the Parliament building, killing 19 protesters. Officials defended the use of force as a last resort to protect lives and safeguard the legislature.

The unrest intensified the following day, spreading from the Federal Parliament, Singha Durbar, and Supreme Court to government offices and public infrastructure in all seven provinces. Three police officers were killed, and widespread arson, vandalism, and looting were reported.

Police statistics show the highest losses occurred in the Kathmandu Valley, where 84 units were completely destroyed and 140 were partially damaged. Koshi Province reported damage to 57 units, Madhes 96, Gandaki 33, Bagmati 44, Lumbini 14, and Sudurpaschim 16, while Karnali Province stated no police buildings were harmed, although other state and private properties were attacked.

Vehicles were also targeted; 36 heavy trucks and buses, 127 light vehicles, and 170 motorcycles were burned. Among them were private cars belonging to senior officers at the Valley Crime Investigation Office in Teku, as well as motorcycles used by lower-ranking personnel.

The looted arms, police warned, pose a major security threat. While some weapons have been recovered by the Nepali Army, police operations, and voluntary returns, many remain missing. Two small arms from the Valley Traffic Police were recently retrieved in Kailali. Authorities fear the stolen arsenal could be used in robberies and other crimes during the Dashain and Tihar festivals, prompting the rollout of festival-focused security operations nationwide.

Investigations further suggest the protests were infiltrated by escaped prisoners, drug users, squatters, transport workers, and political party cadres in addition to Gen Z demonstrators. CCTV footage and public videos show unruly groups attacking police offices, torching vehicles, and looting property.

Nepal Police Spokesperson and DIG Binod Ghimire said the events of September 8–9 represent one of the most severe challenges to law and order in recent years, warning that unchecked violence could jeopardize both public security and political stability.

Roads without police

Major streets have seen a sharp decline in visible police deployment since the September uprising, raising concerns over public safety and crime control. Unlike in the past, routine patrols led by junior police personnel are largely absent, with only limited traffic police stationed at major intersections to ease congestion.

Police Headquarters admits that a shortage of vehicles, many of which were torched during the unrest, has crippled operations, said DIG Ghimire. Minister for Home Affairs Om Prakash Aryal has pledged to procure new vehicles, but legal procedures delay immediate supply. Some private companies have donated vehicles, though far below operational needs.

DIG Ghimire said that the force now faces dual challenges-- recovering over 1,200 looted firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and tracking thousands of escaped inmates. Authorities confirmed that 14,000 prisoners fled nationwide, with nearly 7,000 still at large, including criminals of Indian descent convicted of murder, kidnapping, and robbery. Police have retrieved a fraction of the stolen arms in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Kailali.

Despite damaged vehicles, torched offices, and shaken morale, police leadership insists the force remains intact. DIG Ghimire said the organisation will ‘maintain high morale and continue field operations,’ even by refurbishing burnt stations and using limited resources to sustain patrols during the festive season.