Authorities in Bara, a district in Madhesh Province, clamped a curfew in Simara and its vicinity on Wednesday after clashes broke out between Gen Z protesters and the CPN-UML activists. The UML senior party leaders were scheduled to arrive in the area for a youth mobilisation event of the party.

Police fired teargas canisters after the confrontation escalated near Simara Airport, forcing the airport to halt operations.

The UML had been preparing for days to hold its 'Youth Awakening Campaign' in Parwanipur on Wednesday. General Secretary Shankar Pokharel and central leader Mahesh Basnet were scheduled to fly from Kathmandu and land at Simara around 10:30am before addressing the function.

According to local authorities, security surveillance had already been stepped up following online calls by Gen Z activists to disrupt the function.

On Tuesday evening, Samrat Upadhyay, Bara district coordinator of a Gen Z group, posted on Facebook, urging young people to demonstrate in Simara against what he called the 'outgoing murderous government'. His post, widely shared in the district, sparked concern among security agencies.

“As soon as we saw the post, we increased monitoring and mobilisation,” Assistant Chief District Officer Chhabiram Bhattarai said.

By around 10 am Wednesday, 100-150 youths gathered at Simara Chowk, many of them reportedly planning to protest the arrival of Basnet, who in the past has faced strong criticism from student groups and youth activists over his aggressive political style.

Basnet, former chief of CPN-UML’s youth wing, has often been at the centre of political confrontations involving rival groups.

UML cadres were headed towards the airport to welcome the central leaders. According to police and eyewitnesses, the two groups came face to face near Simara Chowk—about 200 metres before the airport—and verbal disputes quickly escalated into physical clashes.

“We were protesting peacefully when the UML cadres attacked us,” said Gen Z leader Upadhyay. He claimed that several youths, including himself, Shankar Pathak, Saurabh Karki, Sheikh Safik and Tek Bahadur Bhandari, sustained injuries to their faces and heads. The injured protesters were later treated at Simara Hospital.

Following the clashes, a group of youths marched towards the airport, where they reportedly caused damage to the iron gate. Police then resorted to baton-charging and fired four rounds of teargas. Airport operations were suspended as the situation grew tense. UML leaders from Kathmandu who were planning to attend the party function postponed their plan.

With unrest spreading across the main road sections near the airport, the District Security Committee held an emergency meeting and clamped curfew effective from 12:30 pm to 8 pm. The curfew covered 500 metres on both sides of the Tribhuvan Highway from Pathlaiya to Parwanipur—where the UML event had been planned—and up to Gandak in Birgunj, including 500 metres around the airport.

“We closely monitored the situation throughout the morning. The curfew was imposed to restore law and order. If there have been assaults on Gen Z activists, the issue will be investigated once formal complaints are received,” said Bhattarai.

However, tensions continued even during curfew. Dozens of Gen Z youths returned to Simara Chowk, burned tyres and accused security forces of siding with the UML.

“UML cadres attacked us during our peaceful protest, and the police also intervened violently,” Upadhyay told reporters. “We registered a complaint against seven UML cadres at the Area Police Office in Simara, but no arrests have been made yet.”

Inspector Diwakar Ganesh of Simara Police confirmed that a complaint had been lodged. “Throughout the day, we were focused on bringing the situation under control,” he said. “Now that we have received the complaint, we will investigate and take action.”

The UML, however, accused the Gen Z activists of provocation. Manoj Paudel, UML’s Madhesh province secretary and a resident of Simara, claimed that the protesters had disrupted the party’s scheduled event. “We don’t know who attacked whom,” he said. “But those calling themselves Gen Z obstructed and tried to sabotage the event, which created tension. We had repeatedly asked them not to hold demonstrations on the same day.”

Paudel claimed political groups opposed to the UML had been preparing for agitation from Tuesday, despite requests from police and local mediators to avoid confrontation. “When both sides refused to back down, arguments turned into scuffles,” he said.

Meanwhile, even under curfew, the UML managed to go ahead with its youth campaign in Parwanipur. The party said around 3,000 people attended the event, where local leaders including Kshitij Thebe, Kisan Shrestha, Jwala Kumari Sah addressed the function.