Watch: First Lady of Nepal reportedly offers $1 million to protesters during violent uprising

Dubai: A startling video that surfaced last week showed Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, wife of former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, in the hands of furious protesters who had stormed her home in Kathmandu.

According to demonstrators, she offered them $1 million for her release, an offer they reportedly rejected.

The mob set fire to the family’s residence in the Dallu neighbourhood on Tuesday, leaving Chitrakar with severe burns. She was rushed to Kirtipur Burn Hospital in critical condition, though conflicting reports circulated regarding her fate. Local media later reported she had succumbed to her injuries, though officials did not immediately confirm her death.

Nationwide unrest

The shocking scenes come amid a nationwide uprising that has left at least 50 people dead and more than 1,300 wounded, paralysed the capital, and toppled Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli’s government.

The protests began after the government briefly banned Facebook, X, and YouTube, claiming the companies had failed to register for state oversight. Though the ban was lifted within a day, the demonstrations evolved into a broader revolt against corruption, nepotism, and inequality.

Police opened fire on crowds earlier in the week, killing at least 19 people. Anger escalated as demonstrators targeted symbols of political privilege. Homes of top leaders, including Mr. Oli, Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Baburam Bhattarai, were torched. Parliament and the Supreme Court were set ablaze. The capital’s airport was forced to shut down, and ministers were evacuated by army helicopter.

Viral videos showed Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel being chased and beaten in the streets. Another clip captured protesters confronting Mr. Deuba and his wife, Foreign Minister Arzu Rana, who sustained minor injuries.

The ‘Protest of Gen Z’

Young Nepalis have branded the uprising the “protest of Gen Z.” Their anger has targeted not only censorship but also entrenched elites and their families, derisively called “Nepo Kids,” who enjoy lavish lifestyles while most citizens struggle to find work.

Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah has voiced support for the protests, warning that dialogue cannot proceed without the dissolution of Parliament.

The cascading unrest forced Mr. Oli to resign on Tuesday. Days later, in a bid to end political uncertainty, President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister, making her the first woman to lead the Himalayan nation.

Her appointment, announced Friday by presidential spokesman Kiran Pokhrel, came alongside the decision to dissolve Parliament. At 73, Ms. Karki was sworn in Friday night, pledging to restore calm but warning she would serve only if allowed to investigate high-level corruption and police violence.

“I will not be interested in the job if my hands and legs are tied and I am totally immobilised,” she told senior leaders earlier in the day, according to those present at the talks.

President Paudel, in a televised address, urged restraint. “In a democracy, the demands raised by citizens can be addressed through dialogue and negotiation,” he said.