Police enter Civil Hospital, doctors & patients left in fear

KATHMANDU: Tensions escalated nationwide after police entered the premises of Civil Hospital in Kathmandu while injured Gen Z protesters were receiving medical treatment.

The incident occurred around midnight during protests in the Baneshwar area, raising serious concerns about the violation of medical neutrality.

A video circulated from inside the hospital shows a visibly distressed healthcare worker describing the scene as “extremely tense.” The staff member said, “We were treating patients in the emergency ward when police entered. There is such a thing as humanity. Certain areas should remain off-limits. We have broken all ethics. Outside, people can do whatever they can. It is extremely difficult to save patients. Tear gas is being fired at patients outside. As doctors, all we can do is treat them; we are trapped inside.”

According to hospital staff, police even deployed tear gas in front of the emergency building, affecting doctors, nurses, and medical personnel.

Despite repeated requests from healthcare workers, the police remained inside, instructing protesters via loudspeakers to leave the hospital premises.

In response to the incident, lawmaker Toshima Karki strongly criticized the government on social media, expressing her grief and outrage. She wrote, “I couldn’t even blink an eye. You must be sleeping peacefully, government! I saw parents lose their children, doctors try tirelessly, yet couldn’t save them. I feel defeated as a medical professional.” Karki condemned the government for allegedly ordering gunfire even in hospitals and schools, calling their actions “murderous and insensitive.”

Karki further demanded the resignation of the government or for lawmakers to step down, stating that the current parliament had lost its legitimacy.

She urged all young lawmakers to support the cause of humanity, good governance, and the rule of law, and called for an interim youth-led government with a directly elected prime minister.