Prakash Bohara, a Gen Z protester injured during the September 8 demonstration, said he joined the movement seeking change for the next generation and questioned why those responsible for the violence have not been held accountable.

Speaking at the Kantipur Conclave 2026 session titled “Gen Z Revolt: Story of a Shoe”, Bohara said he had returned to Nepal after serving with the Russian army for 18 months and was preparing to apply to the Qatar police when he went to Maitighar and later New Baneshwar during the protest.

“I felt I had to contribute to the new generation,” he said, adding that he did not even know who the organisers were.

He said he was shot in the left leg near the Parliament building and collapsed on the spot. He was taken to the National Trauma Centre, where he underwent surgery and remained under treatment for five months.

A blood-soaked white shoe he wore during the protest later became a symbol of the uprising.

Bohara said he felt encouraged while listening to Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s remarks on accountability while he was in hospital, but was disappointed after seeing no concrete action. He questioned why those responsible for violence against protesters have not been prosecuted.

He also said the state’s failure to create opportunities for young people had pushed many, including himself, towards risky foreign employment, including going to the Russia-Ukraine war.

“The state’s weakness has made foreign employment a compulsion for youths,” said the 28-year-old from ward 8 of Narayan Municipality in Dailekh.