Former Nepalese PM KP Sharma Oli Arrested Over Demonstrators' Deaths

Nepalese authorities have taken significant legal action by arresting former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak on Saturday (28/3). The pair were detained on suspicion of criminal negligence that resulted in the deaths of dozens of young demonstrators during the September 2025 tragedy. “A promise is still a promise. No one is above the law,” stated incumbent Home Minister Sudan Gurung in a message on his official Facebook account. “The former Prime Minister and former Home Minister have been arrested.” Gurung, who was previously involved in the mass protests, dismissed notions that this step is a form of political revenge. “This is just the beginning of justice. I hope this country will move in a new direction,” he said. The arrests are a follow-up to a cabinet meeting on Friday night, which decided to implement the recommendations of the Judicial Commission’s report. The commission, led by Gauri Bahadur Karki, conducted a thorough investigation into last year’s “Gen Z” protests. The report’s findings recommended legal investigations into Oli (Chairman of the UML Communist Party), Lekhak (Senior leader of the Nepali Congress), and Police Chief Chandra Kuber Khapung. The three are suspected of being responsible for the excessive use of force that killed at least 25 demonstrators—mostly young people—and injured 700 others when protests against the social media ban erupted. The arrest process did not go smoothly. Dozens of police deployed to Oli’s residence in Bhaktapur were initially blocked by a crowd of UML party supporters. A brief clash broke out outside the main gate before the authorities managed to disperse the crowd and take away the ousted former PM. The new government under Prime Minister Balendra Shah has now also formed a special review committee to examine security officials allegedly directly involved in the shooting orders against the crowd. On the other hand, the opposition camp has reacted strongly. The UML Party and Nepali Congress consider the commission’s report biased and incomplete. They accuse the current government of criminalising political opponents. “This is a form of prejudice and revenge against us,” stated UML Secretary Mahesh Basnet. He also called on all party cadres to take to the streets as a form of protest against the arrest of their leadership.