The government has declared 45 people who died during the Gen Z movement last month as martyrs.

The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting on Monday.

A total of 76 people, mostly young students, died during and in the days following the Gen Z protests held on September 8 and 9. However, some bodies, charred in fires, could not be identified by security agencies.

Government spokesperson and Minister for Communications Jagadish Kharel stated that the government has decided to officially recognise the 45 individuals who lost their lives in various parts of the country, including Kathmandu, as martyrs on behalf of the state.

The Gen Z demonstrators had staged protests on September 8 and 9 demanding good governance, corruption control, lifting of a social media ban, among other things. Over a dozen were killed outside the federal parliament at New Baneshwar on the first day of the protest when police fired live ammunition on unarmed demonstrators trying to storm the building.

“A decision has been made to declare martyrs, on behalf of the state, the 45 individuals who died in various parts of the country, including Kathmandu, during the demonstrations held on September 8 and 9 by the Gen-Z generation, which demanded good governance, and control of corruption," said Kharel.

“Specifically, based on the study conducted by the committee under the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with other security agencies and the District Administration Offices, 45 individuals have been declared martyrs,” he added.

Further studies will be carried out over additional cases, and decisions will be made accordingly, he said.

Earlier, the Nepali Army had raised questions about the cause of death of 41 out of the 76 people who were killed during the movement, categorising them under a separate list labeled as “others.”

According to the Army’s official data, 22 protesters, three police officers, and 10 prisoners lost their lives. The remaining 41 were listed as “others.” The national army had made this claim during a press conference on October 17.

The army’s report stated that 22 protesters were killed by police gunfire, while 10 prisoners were shot dead while attempting to escape from jail. Apart from the three police officers killed by protesters, the army suspects that the other 41 deaths may have resulted from looting, arson, or fires that the victims themselves had started.

Those who died in fires at Bhatabhateni supermarkets and in arson attacks on various homes were included by the Army in the “others” category.