KATHMANDU: Authorities have failed to bring under control massive blazes that engulfed several of Nepal’s most important public institutions after protesters set them on fire on Tuesday.
Singha Durbar, the country’s central administrative hub, the Supreme Court building, and the Parliament complex remain ablaze hours after demonstrators stormed and torched the compounds. Witnesses said crucial documents, archives, and historic records are burning inside.
Despite widespread destruction, firefighting resources have been scarce. Officials at Juddha Fire Brigade admitted that without full-scale mobilization, it could take days to extinguish the flames in such large structures.
By Tuesday evening, arson had spread beyond the three state organs. Protesters attacked and set fire to the Office of the President in Maharajgunj, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, police stations across the capital, and even some media outlets. Homes of senior politicians and commercial complexes have also been targeted.
The chaos erupted a day after government forces opened fire on demonstrators, killing 19 people and injuring hundreds. The heavy-handed response further inflamed anger, leading to an uncontrollable wave of destruction on Tuesday.
With protests showing no sign of subsiding, security forces remain overwhelmed as billions of rupees worth of public and private property have already been lost to the flames.
Comment