At least two people were killed and dozens of others were injured in Nepal on Friday as protesters calling for the restoration of the monarchy in the Himalayan nation clashed with security forces, officials said.
The protesters are calling for the return of Gyanendra Shah, the last royal ruler of Nepal before the monarchy was dissolved in 2008 in favor of a secular republic. They are demanding a constitutional monarchy that declares Nepal a parliamentary democracy with a Hindu identity.
The two dead were identified as a protester and a television journalist, according to Dinesh Kumar Acharya, a spokesman for the Nepali police. The protester died of bullet wounds, while the journalist died after protesters set fire to a building from which he was filming, Mr. Acharya added. He said that at least 30 civilians and 40 police personnel were among the injured.
The government declared a curfew in large parts of the capital city, Kathmandu, and deployed the army to help restore order.
Monarchists have begun a fresh wave of protests in recent months, accusing established political parties, including that of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, of being corrupt and of failing to lead the country out of poverty and political chaos.
Earlier this month, Mr. Oli rejected the idea of returning to a monarchy and said that the former king could instead run in the next elections in 2027, according to Nepali media.
“If he wants to rise to power, let him contest elections in the mountains, hills or Tarai,” the lowland region, Mr. Oli was reported as saying. “Our constitution does not recognize kings, and no one should dream of reinstating monarchy.”
A day after consulting with the former king, the protesters on Thursday gave the government an ultimatum: Restore the monarchy or face intensifying protests. They then called for a large protest on Friday in Kathmandu, and thousands heeded the call.
To disperse the protesters, the police deployed a large number of officers, some of whom fired tear gas. The protesters retaliated, vandalizing and setting fire to government offices, shopping malls, private houses and the offices of political parties and news outlets.
As the clashing protesters and police moved toward the international airport, authorities briefly halted flights, and the army was deployed to help restore control.
Mr. Shah, the 77-year-old former monarch, remains deeply controversial in Nepal. He stepped down in 2008 in the face of protests, ending approximately 240 years of dynastic rule over the small nation. Much of his family had been wiped out in 2001 by a troubled prince in a court massacre.
Power has frequently changed hands among a small number of parties in Nepal, and its governments have been short-lived. In the chaos of this young democracy, Mr. Shah’s supporters cling to the hope of his return.
Political analysts, however, see little chance of a restoration. It would require the Constitution to be amended by parliament, where the monarchists hold very few seats.
“Constitutionally, there’s no quick fix,” said Bipin Adhikari, a law professor at Kathmandu University, adding that continued political uncertainty will only open the way for the military to try to play a more central role in a country that is already struggling with poverty and deeply vulnerable to effects of climate change.
Mujib Mashal contributed reporting from New Delhi.
