SRINAGAR: Nepal is grappling with its worst communal unrest in recent years after clashes between Hindu and Muslim communities in the country’s southern plains left three people dead, prompting curfews across multiple districts and appeals for peace from the country’s top leadership.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Thursday made his first major national address since assuming office in March, urging citizens to exercise restraint and help restore “peace, harmony, brotherhood and national unity” as violence spread from Sunsari district to neighbouring areas. He assured the nation that the government would conduct a “completely fair and transparent” investigation and bring those responsible to justice.
The violence began on July 26 in Sunsari district, near the Indian border, following a dispute between members of the Hindu and Muslim communities over loud music and religious flags during a Hindu religious procession. According to police, attempts to disperse the crowd escalated into firing, leaving two people dead. A third person was killed on Thursday during protests in neighbouring Siraha district despite a curfew being in force.
Authorities have imposed curfews in Sunsari and adjoining districts, while security forces remain on high alert to prevent further escalation. Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle said personnel have been instructed to protect public property and restore normalcy while using minimal force.
The unrest has triggered political concern across Nepal. The Nepali Communist Party (NCP) has demanded an independent high-level judicial commission to investigate the killings, arguing that police action alone cannot resolve the deeper communal tensions in the Terai-Madhesh region. The party also urged its cadres to organise harmony rallies and work with local communities to prevent further violence.
President Ram Chandra Paudel also convened consultations with former President Ram Baran Yadav and former Vice President Paramananda Jha to discuss the deteriorating situation. Participants stressed the need for collective efforts involving political parties, civil society and religious leaders to preserve Nepal’s long-standing tradition of social and religious harmony.
According to reports, curfews and prohibitory orders are now in force across parts of Sunsari, Siraha, Dhanusha and Saptari districts. Police have arrested eight people on allegations of inciting communal violence, while security has been tightened across Nepal’s southern Terai belt bordering India.
The violence has also renewed debate over the role of misinformation and social media in fuelling communal tensions. Analysts cited in local reports said misleading photographs, recycled videos and false claims circulated rapidly online, spreading fear and anger far beyond the original site of the clash before authorities could issue clarifications.
Several commentators have also linked the recurring communal unrest in Nepal’s southern plains to long-standing local grievances, weak state responses, and the growing influence of organised religious mobilisation in border districts. They argue that disputes over processions, loudspeakers and religious symbols increasingly become flashpoints in a region where communities have traditionally coexisted.
Nepal, where Hindus constitute about 80 per cent of the population and Muslims account for just over five per cent, has witnessed several major episodes of communal violence over the past two decades. Muslims make up about 13 per cent of the population in Madhesh Province and around 7 per cent in Lumbini Province, both higher than Nepal’s national average. Most of the recent communal clashes have occurred in Terai districts such as Sunsari, Dhanusha, Rautahat, Parsa and Sarlahi, where Muslim populations are relatively larger.
