Additional Coverage:
- Nepal police arrest former prime minister and former home minister over September protest deaths (apnews.com)
Former Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli Arrested Amid Protests Investigation
KATHMANDU, Nepal – Early Saturday, Nepali police detained former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli in connection with the deaths of dozens during violent protests last September that led to the collapse of his government and new elections.
Oli, leader of the Communist Party, was arrested at his residence on the outskirts of Kathmandu. Alongside him, Ramesh Lekhak, the former home minister accused of ordering security forces to fire on demonstrators, was also taken into custody.
The arrests come just one day after rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah was sworn in as Nepal’s new prime minister following a decisive electoral victory by his Rastriya Swatantra Party.
“No one is above the law. We have taken former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak under control,” Home Minister Sudan Gurung said via social media. “This is not revenge, it is the beginning of justice.”
An investigative commission formed by the recent interim government recommended prison sentences of up to 10 years for Oli, Lekhak, and the then-chief of police for their roles in the crackdown on protesters.
Police officers in riot gear arrived in multiple vehicles to carry out the arrests before transporting the men to Kathmandu District Police headquarters.
Supporters of Oli quickly mobilized, gathering outside the prime minister’s office to demand his immediate release. The demonstrators clashed with riot police, burning tires and blocking roads, leading to the detention of seven protesters. Authorities reported no serious injuries.
The September protests, driven largely by young activists demanding an end to corruption and poor governance, resulted in 76 deaths and over 2,300 injuries. The unrest saw government buildings, including the offices of the prime minister and president, set ablaze, and forced prominent politicians to flee by army helicopters.
These events also paved the way for Nepal’s first female prime minister, Sushila Karki, a retired Supreme Court judge who led the country through its transitional period prior to the recent elections.