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Bina Awale mourns at her brother's funeral
From the agencies

Nepal’s uprising took their loved ones. Now they hope for change – gallery

This article is more than 2 months old

Seventy-seven people were killed during youth-led protests that toppled Nepal’s prime minister

Bina Awale, sister of Binod Maharjan, who was shot dead during youth-led protests that toppled Nepal's prime minister, mourns her brother during his cremation at Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, 16 September 2025 Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
Photography by Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
Sun 15 Mar 2026 03.00 EDT
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A political demonstration - stones have been thrown on the road
Stones thrown by demonstrators partly cover the road in front of the parliament during youth-led protests that toppled Nepal’s prime minister. Kathmandu, Nepal, 8 September 2025. Seventy-seven people were killed in two days of protests that later forced the resignation of KP Sharma Oli and shook up Nepal’s broken political systemPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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A demonstration in a lake outside state buidings
A demonstrator holding Nepal’s flag celebrates at the Singha Durbar office complex, which houses the prime minister’s office and other ministries, after storming it on 9 September during protestsPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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A person jumps a short height from a gate
A demonstrator jumps from the gate of parliament while being pushed back by riot police on 8 SeptemberPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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The Singha Durbar building in Kathmandu is on fire
Flames rise from the burning Singha Durbar complex on 9 September, during a curfew imposed after youth‑led protests in KathmanduPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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A damaged statue of a lion
A damaged statue of a lion at the entrance of the presidential building, Sheetal Niwas, seen on 15 September. The building was ransacked and burned by protestersPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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The burned Singha Durbar building
A person walks past the burned Singha Durbar office complex on 11 SeptemberPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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Bina Awale mourns in the middle of a crowd
Bina Awale, sister of Binod Maharjan, who was shot dead during youth-led protests that toppled Nepal’s prime minister, mourns her brother during his cremation at Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu on 16 September. After feeding pigeons on the terrace, like he did most mornings, Binod abruptly left home on 8 September, leaving his breakfast of rice and lentils. The family only discovered he had joined the swelling protests after Binod’s elder brother received a phone call from one of his siblings’ childhood friends and rushed to Kathmandu’s Everest hospitalPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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Rachana Khatiwada leans on a coffin containing the remains of her son
Rachana Khatiwada, mother of Rashik Khatiwada, who was shot dead during the youth-led protests, leans on the coffin containing her son’s body during a tribute rally in Kathmandu on 16 September. After years of being largely indifferent to politics, Khatiwada joined the Rastriya Swatantra party, saying her decision was due to a motivation to seek justice for her son and the families of others killed in the protests. ‘What have past leaders done for this country over the last three decades?’Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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A funeral procession in Kathmandu
People take part in a tribute rally on 16 September with coffins carrying the bodies of those who were shot dead during the protests in Kathmandu Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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A woman crying
Lata Maya Maharjan, mother of Binod Maharjan, who was shot dead during the protests, recalls memories of her son while sitting in her room in Lalitpur, Nepal on 20 February 2026Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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A white flower
A floral offering by Lata Maya Maharjan, lies outside her home during her daily prayers in Lalitpur. ‘My son said he would return home and eat the meal he had left behind,’ said Lata Maya Maharjan. ‘He never came back’Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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Black and white photographs of protesters who died in Kathmandu
Portraits of people who died during the youth-led protests are pasted on the gate of the parliament building in Kathmandu seen on 23 FebruaryPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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A framed photo of Dev Kumar Subedi hangs on a green wall
A portrait of Dev Kumar Subedi, who was shot dead during the protests, hangs in his family home in Lalitpur, seen on 22 FebruaryPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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Saloni Subedi sits on the lap of her mother, Parbati Subedi
Saloni Subedi sits on the lap of her mother, Parbati Subedi, the wife of Dev Kumar Subedi, who was shot dead during the protests. Subedi has received the 1.5m Nepalese rupees (£7,650) compensation that an interim government has provided to the families of 42 of the 77 killed that it declared martyrs. ‘I believe this protest happened because people wanted change in Nepal and change in our leaders,’ Subedi said. ‘Those in power forgot about families like ours, for whom putting two meals on the table is a daily struggle.’Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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Four members of the Subedi family walk through a street in Lalitpur
Parbati Subedi (left) accompanies her daughter, Saloni, and her nephews, Ridam Panday (right) and Krish Panday (front-centre), to their school on 23 February before heading to work in Lalitpur Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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Rachana Khatiwada cries, while a photo of her son is displayed in the background of her home
Rachana Khatiwada, mother of Rashik Khatiwada, who was shot dead during the protests, cries as she speaks about her son while sitting next to his portrait in the living room of her house in KathmanduPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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A tattoo of Rashik Khatiwada’s face on the arm of his mother
Rachana Khatiwada shows a wrist tattoo on 23 February that she had made in her son’s memoryPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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The family of Binod Maharjan surround his coffin, which is covered with orange garlands
The family of Binod Maharjan, who was shot dead during youth-led protests, mourn around his coffin, during a tribute rally in Kathmandu on 16 SeptemberPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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Washing a green leafy vegetable
Lata Maya Maharjan prepares to cook leafy greens in Lalitpur on 21 FebruaryPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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Lata Maya Maharjan climbs the stairs in her home, while her face gets caught in the light
Lata Maya Maharjan climbs the stairs next to paintings made by her son that cover the wall of her house in Lalitpur on 21 FebruaryPhotograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
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