Kathmandu — More than Rs 235 million in cash was burnt and destroyed, while over Rs 320 million was looted during the Gen-Z protests held on Bhadra 23 and 24, according to an official damage assessment report prepared by the government.
The findings are part of the Damage Assessment and Public Infrastructure Reconstruction Plan Preparation Committee (2082 BS) report, formed by the interim government after the Gen-Z Uprising. The report estimates that the total loss of cash, valuables, and movable property during the protests amounts to Rs 2.81 billion and Rs 3.4 million.
Breakdown of cash and valuables loss
Although the total cash loss during the protests is estimated at Rs 785 million, the amount burnt or destroyed due to arson stands at Rs 236.9 million. The report states that Rs 328.1 million was lost due to theft, while Rs 220 million was lost due to vandalism and arson combined.
In percentage terms, the report attributes:
- 57.5 percent of the total loss to theft
- 30.9 percent to arson
- 11.6 percent to vandalism
- Heavy losses in gold and precious metals
The largest share of losses came from precious metals and valuables, including gold, silver, diamonds, and pearls. The report estimates losses of Rs 1.26 billion due to theft of such items alone.
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Additionally, arson caused losses worth Rs 131.1 million, while vandalism resulted in losses of Rs 9.3 million in precious metals. Overall, theft was identified as the primary cause of loss, far exceeding damage caused by arson or vandalism in most categories.
Private, household, and community sector impact
Private establishments suffered losses worth Rs 561.8 million in cash and valuables, accounting for 2.6 percent of the total damage incurred by the private sector during the protests.
Households were among the hardest hit. Losses of gold, silver, diamonds, and pearls alone reached Rs 753.1 million, while cash losses stood at Rs 126.5 million and other valuables at Rs 75.8 million. In households, theft accounted for Rs 734.3 million, followed by arson at Rs 176.6 million and vandalism at Rs 54 million.
In the community and other sectors, losses included Rs 337 million in cash and Rs 162.3 million in other valuables, according to the report.
Theft and arson identified as dominant causes
The report concludes that theft and arson were the dominant drivers of financial loss during the Genji protests. Other valuables accounted for 63.2 percent of the total loss, while arson alone was responsible for 67.9 percent of total cash destruction, highlighting the scale of unrest and breakdown of security during the movement.
