Nepal witnessed heightened communal tension on Monday, January 6, as protests and clashes intensified across parts of the southern plains, particularly in Madhesh Province near the Bharatiya border. Authorities extended a strict curfew in Birgunj, Parsa District, until 6:00 pm, with officials authorising shoot-on-sight orders against curfew violators in an attempt to prevent further violence.
The unrest is linked to a TikTok video that allegedly contained religiously sensitive remarks and anti-Hindu content, triggering a dispute between two groups in Kamala Municipality of Dhanusha. Tensions escalated over January 4 and 5 following reports that a mosque was vandalised and a copy of the Quran burned in the district.
In response, members of the Muslim community staged protests in Birgunj, blocking roads, burning tyres and clashing with police at multiple flashpoints, including Idgah Chowk. Security forces deployed tear gas shells to disperse crowds. Several police personnel and protesters were reported injured during the confrontations, officials said.
Authorities from the Parsa District Administration Office have extended the curfew till 1 PM in #Birgunj. Curfew was imposed after communal tensions sparked on the Tiktok video uploaded by Haider & Amanat Ansari making derogatory comments on Hindu religion & culture. pic.twitter.com/Ptm13ZwWi6
— Nepal Correspondence (@NepCorres) January 6, 2026
Given Birgunj’s strategic position as a major border hub adjoining Raxaul in India, Bharatiya security agencies have also been placed on high alert to prevent any spillover of communal violence across the frontier.
The latest unrest comes amid acute political fragility in Nepal. In late 2025, sustained protests led by Generation Z groups forced the resignation of then prime minister KP Sharma Oli, culminating in the formation of an interim administration headed by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki.
Analysts say the prevailing governance vacuum has created conditions that could be exploited by extremist elements to inflame communal divisions.
Amid the violence, attention has focused on Maulana Ali Asghar Madani, central co-chairman of Jamiat Ulama-e-Nepal and principal of the Yatimkhana Islamiya School in Chhapakaiya, Birgunj. Madani has emerged as a prominent voice during protests following the reported vandalism of a mosque in Sakhuwa Maran, Dhanusha.
During public demonstrations, Madani condemned the vandalism and demanded swift identification and prosecution of those responsible. He questioned why communal tensions and administrative lapses appeared to be concentrated in Madhesh Province compared with other regions of Nepal. He has also publicly stressed that while Nepalis follow different faiths like Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Christianity and Buddhism, but they share a common national identity and must respect each other’s religious places.
Beyond street protests, Madani was part of a leadership delegation that visited the Ministry of Home Affairs to formally convey the security concerns of the Muslim community and seek stronger administrative intervention.
As the situation remains fluid, authorities have appealed for calm while maintaining heightened security across sensitive districts. Officials said further decisions would be taken based on developments on the ground over the coming hours.
