Nepalese Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned on Monday evening, stepping down in the wake of violent youth-led protests that left at least 19 people dead and more than 400 injured.
Lekhak tendered his resignation to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during a cabinet meeting at the prime minister’s residence in Baluwatar, reports Kathmandu Post.
A minister present at the meeting said he quit on moral grounds following the casualties in Kathmandu and Itahari during Monday’s Gen Z protests.
Earlier in the day, Nepali Congress general secretaries Gagan Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma had called for his resignation, while party President Sher Bahadur Deuba refrained from commenting. Lekhak informed the meeting of his decision before heading to the cabinet session.
He was appointed home minister on July 15, 2024.
The Gen Z protests, launched as a youth-driven campaign for accountability and governance reforms, have spread to major cities.
On Monday, demonstrations intensified in Kathmandu and other urban centres, where police opened fire on crowds, resulting in heavy casualties and mounting political pressure on the government.