The Kathmandu Metropolitan City on Saturday slapped a penalty worth Rs793,000 on Gyanendra Shah, in what is the first such action taken against the deposed king since the abolition of monarchy in 2008.

In a letter addressed to Shah, the KMC held the former king liable to pay for eight different titles of damages caused during Friday’s violent pro-monarchy protests.

The local unit’s move comes amid growing calls demanding action against Shah over his alleged role behind Friday’s violent protests. Meanwhile, social media users have launched a campaign demanding Shah be arrested.

Previously, the metropolis had fined the CPN-UML Rs100,000 for causing environmental damage while organising a mass gathering at Durbarmarg in November last year.

The metropolis also fined Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) for littering the areas outside the Tribhuvan International Airport on March 9, when thousands of people had gathered to welcome Shah on his return from Pokhara.

While the UML had refused to pay the fine, the RPP paid it immediately.

Meanwhile, the home ministry spent the entire Saturday assessing the physical damage caused by Friday’s agitation, which resulted in the death of two people, including a video journalist working with Avenues TV. The protesters torched several houses and dozens of vehicles, and looted shops including the Koteshwar-based Bhatbhateni Supermarket. The mob set ablaze the building of the Jadibuti Production and Processing Company, and vandalised media houses, including Kantipur Television and Annapurna Media Network.

Following the deaths and arson, the district administration imposed a curfew in Baneshwar-Koteshwar stretch and surrounding areas from Friday evening until Saturday morning.

Detailed assessment reports of the physical damages are yet to come, said an officer at the home ministry.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has condemned the attacks on media houses, vowing to ensure the safety of media establishments and journalists so they can work without any fear and obstruction.

After visiting the Kantipur TV newsroom on Saturday, the home minister described the attack as a criminal act.

“Kantipur has worked for strengthening democracy continuously. Friday’s attack is deplorable and condemnable,” Lekhak said. “The incident does not align with any political ideology, philosophy, consciousness, and belief. It is purely a criminal act.”

He questioned, “Which ideology endorses attacking media houses in the name of protest?”

He also condemned the arson on several buildings that resulted in the death of TV journalist Suresh Rajak, who was locked inside a house that was set ablaze.

Lekhak also inspected the CPN (Unified Socialist) headquarters, which was another target of the protesters’ vandalism.

Nepal Police on Saturday arrested a commander of a youth group close to Durga Prasai in connection with the violent incident. Munindra Rajbhandari, a commander of the group known as the ‘Royal Task Force’, was arrested from the Balaju area, according to the Kathmandu District Police.

Meanwhile, police have also arrested Pushkar Khatiwada, a self-styled religious guru, from Imadol, Lalitpur. He was arrested on charges of inciting the crowd.

Six more individuals involved in the unruly activities during Friday's protest in Tinkune have been arrested from various locations across the Valley on Saturday, said Aprilraj Bohara, the spokesperson of Kathmandu District Police Range.

On Friday, police arrested a total of 105 individuals including Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Senior Vice-Chairman Rabindra Mishra, General Secretary Dhawal Sumsher Rana, and pro-monarchy campaigners such as Swagat Nepal, Shepherd Limbu, and Santosh Tamang, among others.

Police have so far arrested 111 individuals in connection with Friday’s riots, officials said.

The Parliament Secretariat on Saturday has been informed of RPP lawmaker Rana’s arrest, according to Ekram Giri, the spokesperson of the Parliament.

As per Article 103 (6) of the constitution, authorities must notify the Speaker when a lawmaker is arrested.

The Police Headquarters has stated that no decision has been made yet about the cases Mishra and Rana would be charged with.

According to home ministry sources, Nawaraj Subedi, the coordinator of the pro-monarchy movement, has been placed under house arrest. Security agencies are also searching for Durga Prasai, the ‘commander’ of the protest, who has been on the run since Friday.

“His mobile phone is switched off, and we are attempting to trace his location,” a senior government security official said. “He was last located in Imadol.”