An eight-hour curfew was imposed in the Simara Airport area of Bara district from 12:30 pm to 8:00 pm on November 19, 2025, following clashes between Gen Z youths and CPN-UML cadres.
The conflict arose when hundreds of Gen Z protesters gathered at the airport to oppose the arrival of CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel and youth leader Mahesh Basnet for an anti-government rally.
Buddha Air cancelled all domestic flights from Kathmandu to Simara for the day, including the one carrying the UML leaders, who returned to Kathmandu after the disruption.
A curfew was imposed in parts of Nepal's Bara district on November 19, 2025, after clashes erupted between Gen Z youths and cadres of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), or CPN-UML, near Simara Airport. The district administration office stated the curfew would remain in force from 12:30 pm to 8:00 pm within a 500-metre radius of the airport.
The clash occurred when news spread of a Buddha Air flight carrying CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel and party youth leader Mahesh Basnet scheduled to land in Simara from Kathmandu. The leaders were set to address an anti-government rally in the area. Hundreds of Gen Z youths gathered at the airport, shouting slogans against the CPN-UML and protesting their arrival.
This led to confrontations with local CPN-UML cadres, prompting authorities to impose the curfew to prevent further escalation. Police used force to disperse the crowds, and the situation remained tense for several hours.
Buddha Airlines cancelled all its domestic flights from Kathmandu to Simara for the day, including the flight with the two CPN-UML leaders, who returned to Kathmandu. The curfew covers 500 metres on both sides of the Gandak canal-Pathlaiya road section and around the airport.
