Nepal Prison Revolt Triggers Mass Jail Breaks Across Country

Violent clashes in Nepal's prisons have escalated amid ongoing anti-government protests led by Gen Z groups, resulting in at least three inmate deaths on Thursday and over 15,000 escapes from more than 25 facilities since Tuesday. This unrest, which forced Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli to resign, has led to a serious law and order crisis, with the Nepal Army imposing restrictions across provinces.

In Ramechhap District Prison in Madhesh Province, three inmates were killed and 13 injured during a clash with security personnel after they attempted to escape using a gas cylinder explosion. This incident raises the total death toll to eight since Tuesday, including five juvenile inmates killed earlier at Naubasta Correctional Home in Banke. The injured were treated at the local district hospital.

Thousands of inmates have fled amid arson and riots by protesters who stormed prisons. Preliminary reports indicate major escapes from facilities like Kaski District Prison (773 escapees, including 13 Indian nationals and 4 foreigners), Central Jail in Sundhara (3,300), and others such as Nakkhu Prison (1,400) and Jhumka Prison (1,575). India's Sashastra Seema Bal apprehended 13 escapees near the border from Gaur prison in Rautahat, with 216 still at large from that facility.

Also Read: Normalcy Returns As Nepal Army Takes Charge Of Security

Nepalese authorities, including the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police, have deployed resources nationwide to re-arrest escapees. Director General Lila Prasad Sharma stated that they are mobilising all available resources to act quickly, while the Department of Prison Management is compiling final figures amid the chaos. This crisis highlights the broader instability caused by the protests.

Also Read: IndiGo Halts Kathmandu Flights as Nepal Protests Escalate