The Hilton Hotel, a five-star glass tower, was also torched, sending black plumes of smoke into the sky. The Kathmandu Hilton was opened last year by Shahil Agrawal, the scion of a Nepalese steelmaking business-turned-conglomerate, the Shanker Group.
A Hilton spokesperson said the property had been closed following damage sustained during the protests and guests and staff were safely evacuated. A full assessment of the building would be undertaken, the statement said.
The homes of politicians, including Oli were also attacked.
“FRUSTRATION OF THE COMMON PEOPLE”
The Gen Z movement has gained traction in recent months with people rallying around posts on TikTok, Instagram and other social media sites. Posts purportedly show the children of Nepal’s political leaders enjoying a lavish lifestyle, designer clothes and pricey vacations.
Meanwhile, thousands of mainly young people leave Nepal every day, in search of economic opportunity in the Middle East, Malaysia, South Korea and other places.
“That is the frustration of the common people,” said Balaram KC, a retired justice of the Supreme Court and a constitutional expert.
“You people who are supposed to run the country in an honest way, you are taking care of yourself and your relatives and no one else,” he said.
Rajendra Bajgain, a Nepali Congress party lawmaker, said on Thursday that his luxury hotel, Varnabas Museum, had also been targeted in an arson attack and guests were safely evacuated.
After the deaths of demonstrators, Bajgain announced his intention to step down from parliament and said he was sympathetic to the Gen Z protesters.
“It has mounted for quite some time this kind of dissatisfaction in Nepal with the corruption,” he said.
