Inside TOB: The Group Stirring Curiosity During The Gen-Z Movement
असोज २६, २०८२ १३:२१
Kathmandu: Early Saturday morning, a video of YouTuber Diwakar Sah was published on the Facebook page HTP Khabar, in which he made a sensational reference to people wearing T-shirts with three letters without naming them. He said he could not disclose their identity because doing so would endanger his life.
The video quickly went viral. After that, social media users began revisiting footage from the Gen-Z movement on 8 and 9 September. During this time, photos and videos of people wearing T-shirts and jackets with the three letters T.O.B started trending on social media.
Focusing on those three letters, users began drawing various interpretations. The most discussed theory claims that TOB stands for Tibetan Original Blood, suggesting that Tibetan refugees are allegedly trying to stir anti-China “Free Tibet” activities in Nepal. TechPana investigated what TOB actually means and whether Free Tibet supporters were involved in the Gen-Z movement.
An Instagram account opened last March describes TOB as a social club, with its bio stating the full form as “The Original Brothers.” This account appears to be the official handle of the TOB group that joined the Gen-Z movement on bullet bikes. TechPana uncovered several details linked to this account.
In a video posted by TOB member Biraj Khadka, he said they joined the movement after being invited by the “Gen-Z brothers.” According to him, TOB was led by Tenzing Dawa, a man with long hair, tattoos, large earrings, and a bullet bike.
The jacket worn by Dawa clearly reads TOB: Tibetan Original Blood. Though the account’s bio has since been changed, several videos and photos still show the original logo and design. Dawa had uploaded the logo “TOB – Tibetan Original Blood” on his Facebook in August 2024. His account, which was linked to the TOB page, is now private.
On the second day of the Gen-Z movement (9 September), Dawa and his group were seen near the Parliament building. Speaking briefly to Khabar Bulletin TV, he said, “I am ready to go to the outpost tomorrow, but I want my country back. My country, my pride.” Another of their slogans was, “Our country, our rule.”
Dawa is also seen holding a flag with a logo resembling an “H” and the word Hakim written above it. The same logo appears on T-shirts worn by TOB members. It belongs to Hakim Entertainment, a music company owned by rapper Hakim Gurung (Surendra Gurung), also known as Ha King. Gurung has collaborated with TOB on multiple posts and has actively promoted their activities.
In one video, Gurung is seen performing in a TOB T-shirt alongside Dawa. On Facebook, he defined TOB as “The Original Bros,” a meaning later shared on TOB’s Instagram story. He claimed that at least 150 TOB members joined the Gen-Z movement on bikes, wearing masks. “That black flag belongs to our team. It has our logo on it,” he said. Gurung later admitted that Dawa, coordinator of the TOB: Tibetan Original Blood group, is a member of his team.
There is also a 13-year-old Facebook group named Tibetan Original Blood (T.O.B). Its admins reportedly lost access, but the group’s description defines it as a global platform of Tibetans and supporters of an independent Tibet.
The TOB group has also been linked to biker clubs such as Kathmandu Terror, Predator, and Hellbound. The Predator group describes itself as “The New Revolution for the Change.”
“We Have No Connection with TOB”: Sudhan Gurung
As TOB went viral, Hami Nepal and its coordinator Sudhan Gurung were also accused of links to the group. Gurung called this a false narrative spread by party workers and their cyber army. “We are ready to go to jail if there is proof. Various conspiracies are being created against the Gen-Z movement and us,” he said. “If we can fight corrupt leaders, we can also stand against those spreading fake news. We know their attempts to divide the country.”
Gurung denied inviting TOB members to the movement and challenged anyone to present evidence showing them together. “You can even see in the videos, where are we and where are they?” he said.
He added that he never saw any “Free Tibet” activists during the protests. “We were at the forefront, but we didn’t see this biker gang. There’s no proof linking us to them. There was infiltration, yes, but now the cyber army is trying to associate us with every infiltrator to discredit the movement,” he said.
Gurung demanded an impartial investigation into the infiltrations and said they would file a formal complaint. “The police and the commission should investigate and take action. We’re not saying infiltrators should go free. But we spoke up only after our innocent youths started being arrested for revenge,” he said.
He clarified that he supports action against those involved in violence, looting, and arson. “We haven’t asked for the release of armed or criminal individuals. If only those guilty of crimes were arrested, we wouldn’t have objected. If the police had been impartial, there would be no issue,” Gurung said.
पछिल्लो अध्यावधिक: असोज २६, २०८२ १३:२१
