Nepal’s protest death toll rises to 72

Authorities in Nepal have announced an increase in the death toll from last week’s protests to 72 as search teams continue to recover bodies from government offices, houses, and other buildings set ablaze during the anti-corruption protests, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

The violence, described as the deadliest political unrest in decades, erupted when mainly young Nepalis poured into the streets of Kathmandu and other cities early last week. The demonstrations forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign on Tuesday.

According to Reuters, security forces responded with tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. Still, protesters torched several state institutions, including the Supreme Court, parliament, police posts, politicians’ homes, and private businesses.

“Bodies of many people who died in shopping malls, houses, and other buildings that were set on fire or attacked are now being discovered,” health ministry spokesperson Prakash Budathoki said.

The ministry’s figures showed that at least 2,113 people have been injured in the unrest, with the toll rising from 51 reported on Saturday.

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Following Oli’s resignation, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was sworn in on Sunday as interim prime minister, becoming the first woman to lead the Himalayan nation. She is tasked with overseeing a new parliamentary election scheduled for March 5.

Karki announced that the government would compensate the families of those killed with 1 million rupees (about $7,100) each and provide free medical treatment to the injured.

She began work in a temporary office after the prime minister’s building was set on fire during the demonstrations. “We must now engage in rebuilding the destroyed structures,” Karki told senior government officials, state television reported.

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