Kathmandu, Sept. 14 -- What started on Monday morning as a spirited Gen Z protest against corruption in the country descended into tragedy by nightfall, as police brutally killed as many as 19 protesters within hours.

The shock spread quickly across the nation. In ward 5 of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City in Kailali, Soniya Joshi was scrolling through TikTok at around 9 pm on Monday. She suddenly froze. A video clip showed a protester shot in Kathmandu. Moments later, a photo surfaced in the comments.

Soniya immediately called her brother Prabin, in the national capital. "It was my uncle Gaurav," she whispered. Her brother confirmed the blood-stained shirt was the one Gaurav had bought with him that morning. An ATM card bearing his name...