Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar wife of former PM Jhalanath Khanal Burned Alive!
Nepal is in shock from a tragedy that has shaken its political elite as well as common citizens. On Tuesday, former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal wife, Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, was killed after protesters torched their home in Kathmandu Dallu district. What started as outrage at a contentious ban on social media snowballed into brutal protests, which culminated in killing innocent lives and sending the government into a tailspin of collapse.
The unfortunate death of late Mrs. Chitrakar was taken to the Kirtipur Burn Hospital in critical condition but passed away from injuries despite medical teams’ efforts. Not only has her death heartbroken her family but also pointed out the serious risks of uncontained political instability.
The Firestorm of Protest
The immediate spark for the protests was Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s short-lived decision to ban social media platforms, a move that disproportionately angered Nepal’s younger generation—especially Gen Z, who rely heavily on digital platforms for communication, activism, and expression.
What started as internet indignation soon spilled out on to the streets, becoming increasingly violent as demonstrators accused the government of censoring free speech. The rallies soon, however, expanded beyond the issue of digital rights, becoming a wider movement driven by indignation over corruption scandals and outrage over economic suffering.
Political Fallout: Oli Resigns
As the protests got out of hand, Prime Minister Oli himself was directly in the line of fire of public fury. In a dramatic turn of events, his private home was also set on fire by protesters. Under intense pressure, corruption charges, and open breakdown of law and order, Oli resigned on Tuesday.
His resignation is a milestone in Nepal’s precarious political trajectory. However, his resignation has accomplished little to assuage the rage on the streets, where demonstrators call for greater accountability and change in the political process.
A Personal Tragedy Amid Public Anger
The most poignant part of the upheaval is the tragic loss of Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar life. While not a political player, she was an unintended casualty of the violence. Her death puts point to the harsh fact that political violence seldom remains contained within the leadership—it sweeps up families, communities, and innocent passersby.
Family members were left heartbroken by her death, hailing her as a pillar of strength who stood by her husband throughout his political years. Her senseless death has sparked debate about the limits of morality in protest and whether the escalation of violence within the movement threatens to undermine its legitimacy.
Nepal at a Crossroads
The deadly unrest has left Nepal standing at a precarious crossroads. On one hand, the protests have highlighted legitimate frustrations over governance, corruption, and suppression of digital freedoms. On the other, the violence and targeting of private residences, leading to deaths like that of Mrs. Chitrakar, have cast a shadow over the movement’s integrity.
As Nepal looks for stability, the challenge is to resolve public grievances without allowing the country to slide further into chaos. All political leaders, civil society, and protesters will have to look back at the heavy price already paid and seek an avenue towards constructive dialogue.
The killing of Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar during Kathmandu’s pyre of protests will be a black page in Nepal’s history. It is a harsh reminder that during periods of political turbulence, it is the innocent who get hit the hardest. The fire that engulfed her house has raised a bigger question: can Nepal learn to root out corruption and bring people back to believing in the system without paying the price in human lives through violence?
For the time being, the Himalayan country grieves—not only for the loss of a life, but also for the breakdown of its tenuous democracy under the weight of outrage and suspicion.
Visit Pakistan Updates for more news and updates.
