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Fact Check
A viral 43-second video claims to show Nepal’s minister for communication, Prithvi Subba Gurung, tearfully pleading with protesters outside his private residence as they set it on fire during the ongoing demonstrations.
The man in the viral video is not Prithvi Subba Gurung.
As Nepal reels under Gen-Z-led protests, misinformation is flooding online platforms where one such claim is a viral video alleging that communication minister Prithvi Subba Gurung was seen crying and pleading with demonstrators outside his burning home. However, our fact-check shows that the man in the video is not Gurung at all.
The archived version of the post can be seen here, which has clocked 1.7 million views so far, following the nationwide Gen Z-led demonstrations against corruption, sparked on Monday by a short-lived government ban on social media that drew a police crackdown in which officers opened fire.
Media reports, seen here, here, here and here, state that protesters did attack and set fire to the private residence of communication minister Prithvi Subba Gurung in Lalitpur on September 9, 2025. The damage, however, was reported as minimal, and police later said the situation was under control.
Screengrabs of reports featuring photos of Nepal communication minister Prithvi Subba Gurung.
However, cross-checking the viral footage with credible media reports and Gurung’s verified Facebook page makes it evident that the man seen crying in the video is not the minister. The facial features and appearance do not match Gurung, strongly indicating that he was not the individual in the clip.
The video was originally uploaded to TikTok on September 10, 2025, by user @roshanbhandari7721. On September 11, the uploader clarified that the crying man was a neighbor pleading with protesters not to torch a house, which was wrongly assumed to be his own. The uploader did not reveal any names — either of the neighbour or the owner of the house set ablaze — which further contradicted the viral claims that misidentified the man as Gurung.
Also Read: Unrelated Video Falsely Shared As Assam Citizens Supporting Eviction Drives Against ‘Bangladeshis’
The viral claim is false. While protesters did reportedly target and set fire to communication minister Prithvi Subba Gurung’s house in Lalitpur, the man crying in the viral video is not the minister.
Q1. Was Prithvi Subba Gurung’s house attacked during the protests?
Yes. Protesters attacked and partially set fire to his residence in Lalitpur.
Q2. Is the man in the video the owner of the house that was set ablaze?
No. The TikTok uploader clarified that he was only a neighbor pleading with the mob.
Q3. Did the Nepal government roll back the social media ban?
Yes. Gurung announced the rollback after widespread protests and violence.
Sources
Khabarhub, Protesters Torch Gurung’s House in Lalitpur, September 9, 2025
The Himalayan Times, Protesters Attack Minister’s House, September 9, 2025
WION News, Nepal Protests: Minister’s House on Fire, September 9, 2025
TikTok (@roshanbhandari7721), clarification video, September 11, 2025
Facebook, Prithvi Subba Gurung Official Page, September 2025
False
