2 months ago
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Hundreds of Nepalis connected Monday (March 30, 2026) demanded the merchandise of erstwhile Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, arrested for his alleged relation successful a deadly crackdown connected 2025 protests that ousted him.
Mr. Oli, 74, and erstwhile Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested successful pre-dawn raids connected Saturday (March 28, 2026), a time aft Prime Minister Balendra Shah was sworn in pursuing the archetypal elections since the September uprising.
Heavy constabulary deployments connected Monday (March 30, 2026) barred the protests arsenic they neared the charred aged Parliament building, acceptable connected occurrence successful the September unit successful which astatine slightest 76 radical were killed.
The arrests of Mr. Oli and Mr. Lekhak came aft an enquiry committee recommended that the four-time erstwhile Prime Minister and different officials beryllium prosecuted for failing to halt information forces from opening occurrence connected demonstrators. "Release K.P. Oli," astir 300 protesters chanted. "Scrap the committee report."
Mr. Oli, who has wellness issues, appeared successful tribunal via video-link from infirmary connected Sunday (March 29, 2026), wherever an bid was fixed to widen his detention for 5 days.
The 2 men were arrested implicit their alleged engagement successful the protestation crackdown. Neither has been charged, and some contradict work for the violence. Lawyers for Mr. Oli person submitted a petition to the Supreme Court for his release.
The committee study said statements fixed by Mr. Oli and Mr. Lekhak, claiming ignorance of the violence, were an effort to displacement work and amounted to "criminal negligence".
It recommended that they beryllium investigated nether a instrumentality that deals with decease caused by recklessness. “Former Energy Minister Deepak Khadka was besides detained connected Sunday (March 29, 2026) successful a money-laundering investigation,” constabulary said.
The unrest successful September 2025 began implicit a little societal media ban, but tapped into longstanding fury implicit economical hardship. It dispersed nationwide the pursuing time arsenic Parliament and authorities offices were acceptable ablaze, resulting successful the illness of Mr. Oli's government.
