Kathmandu: CPN-UML leader Mahesh Basnet and others posted a video on Facebook claiming that the ancestral house of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) in Mahottari had been vandalized. However, TechPana Fact Check has confirmed that the house does not belong to Mayor Shah.
The viral video shows a house being vandalized during the Gen-Z movement on 9 September. TechPana’s investigation revealed that the house actually belongs to Ram Padarath Sah Teli, Chairman of Brahmapuri Rural Municipality in Sarlahi.
Claim
At 6:09 am on 18 September 2025, UML leader Mahesh Basnet wrote, “Balen Shah’s house has been vandalized in Mahottari. Violence, arson, and vandalism in the name of political interests are a dangerous continuation of legalization. If this trend, which was started by Balenji and his friends, continues, there is a danger that the country will be pushed towards long-term conflict. If thousands of victims of the Gen-Z movement take revenge, it will further divide our society. Therefore, legal action and justice must be taken instead of revenge. I demand it from Prime Minister Sushila Karki, the grandmother of Gen-Z.” (Translated) The post went viral, receiving 5,400 reactions, 2,100 comments, and 468,000 views by the time this fact-check was prepared.
See the original link, archive link, and screenshot of the post.
Research
TechPana Fact-Checking Desk confirmed that the house in the video does not belong to Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen). After finding Basnet’s post, we searched social media platforms including Facebook and TikTok using relevant keywords.
On 18 September 2025, at 7:32 am, a Facebook page named Milijuli Khabar posted a video claiming, “Balen Shah’s house, Mahottari”, which received 12,000+ views.
See the original link, archive link, and screenshot of the post.
Similarly, Sujit Kumar Rajak posted the same video at 3:04 pm on 17 September 2025, captioning it, “Balen Shah’s house in Ekdara, Mahottari was vandalized by UML and Congress workers. Madhesis will never reform.” That post received 21,000+ views.
See the original link, archive link, and screenshot of the post.
Some users pointed out that the house actually belongs to Ram Charitra Sah and Ram Varan Sah of Brahmapuri, Sarlahi. Observing the video, their names are clearly visible on the front of the house.
On TikTok, an ID named riteshshah90 posted a video a week ago with the caption: “#GenZ_generation_rebellion While demanding the resignation of the chairman of Brahmapuri Rural Municipality, the chairman and his family fled the village, and the Gen-Z generation vandalized the chairman’s house. Now it is time to destroy the corrupt, not the village. #genz_generation #our_youth #Brahmapuri.” (Translated)
See the original link, archive link, and screenshot of the post.
To further verify, TechPana contacted local officials in Ekdara, Mahottari, where Balen Shah’s ancestral home is located. Shivendra Thakur, grievance officer of the office, confirmed:
“Yes, I am seeing it myself. That is completely fake. Our rural municipality office is in the house of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Shah. Nothing has happened. It is false to say that Mayor Shah’s house was vandalized.”
Attempts to reach Ram Padarath Sah Teli, Chairman of Brahmapuri Rural Municipality, were unsuccessful as his phone was temporarily out of service.
However, Ramakant Sah, from the administration branch of the same rural municipality, confirmed: “Yes, the house in the video belongs to the chairman. It was vandalized. You can hear in the video that the vandalism is being done in the chairman’s name. The names seen in the video are Shri Ram Charitra Shah and Shri Ram Varan Shah, the grandfather and father of the rural municipality chairman.”
Claim
The house of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) in Mahottari was vandalized.
Claimant
Facebook accounts and pages including Mahesh Basnet, Milijuli Khabar, Sujit Kumar Rajak.
Fact
The house of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah was not vandalized. The house that was vandalized during the Gen-Z movement on 9 September belongs to Ram Padarath Sah Teli, Chairman of Brahmapuri Rural Municipality, Sarlahi.
Conclusion
The video shared on Facebook and other platforms claiming that Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah’s house in Mahottari was vandalized is misleading. TechPana Fact Check confirms that the vandalized house belongs to Ram Padarath Sah Teli, not Mayor Shah. Misleading claims about the incident have been circulated on social media.
Feedback
You can send us social media posts that need fact-checking via our website, social media handles (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, LinkedIn), or email us at [email protected].
If you have any feedback or suggestions regarding our fact-checking, please feel free to email us.
पछिल्लो अध्यावधिक: असोज २, २०८२ १६:५१
