Nepal flew flags at half-mast during a national day of mourning Wednesday for the 73 people killed during youth-led anti-corruption protests that toppled the government.

An interim government, which took over after two days of protests last week, declared the day of mourning “in honour of those who lost their lives during the protests,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.

Protests began on September 8, sparked by a short-lived ban on social media but fueled by anger at corruption and long-standing economic woes.

At least 19 people were killed in a crackdown on the first day.

Anger over the deaths escalated, triggering an outpouring of rage nationwide, with government offices, a Hilton Hotel, and other buildings set on fire.

“The changes we are witnessing today would not be possible without the courage and sacrifice of those who gave their lives during the protests,” Hami Nepal, a key organisation in the protests, posted on social media.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki, a 73-year-old former chief justice, has been tasked with restoring order and addressing protester demands for a corruption-free future ahead of elections in six months.

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Karki has declared the victims martyrs, promising state honours at their cremations.

Candlelit vigils will be held.

Shopkeeper Pooja Shrestha, 22, said that the day of mourning would bring people together.

“Everyone is sad about what happened, the loss of lives—all young people like us,” she said.

“Things have improved now, and we hope the new government will bring the changes we need.”

A fifth of people in Nepal aged 15-24 are unemployed, according to the World Bank, with GDP per capita just $1,447.

– ‘Intense’ –

Streets have been back to bustling business since the protests but were quieter on Wednesday because it was declared a public holiday.

But Lokesh Tamang, 17, sitting in a gift shop in Kathmandu, kept the store open hoping for business after it was closed for days during the unrest.

He recalled the “intense” violence and mourned the “sad” deaths of the protesters.

“We hope that it doesn’t get as bad as it did last week ever again,” he said.

Police spokesman Binod Kharel said Wednesday that the death toll from the protests had risen to 73, including police officers and prisoners as they staged a mass breakout.

More than a third of the 13,500 prisoners who escaped from two dozen jails during the protests have been recaptured or surrendered themselves, he added.

“So far about 5,000 prisoners who had absconded have returned to the prisons, many voluntarily,” Kharel said.

AFP