Janakpur, Sept. 18 -- The government's crackdown on the Gen Z protests in Kathmandu on September 8 ignited fury among youths, and by the following day that anger had spilled onto the streets of Janakpur just like in the federal capital, Kathmandu, and other major cities. A large number of demonstrators marched straight toward the former Janakpur Cigarette Factory Limited (JCFL), which was shut in 2013 and is a historical landmark in Madhesh province and now serves as the headquarters of the provincial government.

What followed was destruction across the factory's buildings, leaving scars on a symbol of industrial heritage.

JCFL's main administrative building, which used to be the manager's office, and the production hall with its machin...