KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress parliamentary party leader Bhishma Raj Angdembe on Friday demanded a thorough investigation into the death of ride-share driver Ganesh Nepali, alleging that harassment by state agencies may have pushed him into distress.

“The family has made it clear that Ganesh Nepali was under immense distress and suffering from depression due to harassment by the metropolitan police,” Angdembe said.

“While the incident is under investigation and the truth will unfold, it is clear that state agencies are currently harassing working-class citizens just to show off their power. This is unacceptable. The state’s responsibility is to protect working people, but it is doing the exact opposite.”

Angdembe also defended ride-share workers, saying they should not be targeted while trying to earn a living. “Ride-sharing is a platform used by workers who struggle daily just to feed and support their families. It is entirely unjust for the state to harass these workers simply for parking their motorcycles on the roadside,” he said.

Nepal passed away while undergoing treatment at Bir Hospital today morning.

The tragic incident stems from an encounter between 25-year-old Ganesh Nepali and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) municipal police on Thursday afternoon. Nepali, a ride-share driver who was facing financial hardships and preparing to go abroad for employment, had parked his motorcycle near Gate 3 of the Department of Passports in Tripureshwar.

The KMC municipal police placed a wheel lock on his motorcycle for a parking violation. A heated dispute broke out when city police refused to unlock the vehicle and summoned a tow truck. Outraged by the action, Nepali siphoned petrol from his own motorcycle’s fuel tank, poured it over his body, and set himself on fire. Nearby police personnel managed to put out the flames and rushed him to Bir Hospital with deep tissue burns covering roughly 60% of his body.