Kathmandu, September 11: At least three inmates were killed and 13 others injured in a violent clash with security forces at Ramechhap district prison in Madhesh province on Thursday, even as Nepal grapples with mass jailbreaks triggered by the ongoing anti-government protests. Authorities confirmed that more than 15,000 prisoners have escaped from over two dozen prisons across the country since the unrest began on Tuesday.
The latest fatalities take the inmate death toll to eight since violent demonstrations led by Gen Z protesters erupted, forcing Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli to resign earlier this week. With the law-and-order situation deteriorating, the Nepal Army has imposed restrictions and stepped up security across provinces.
According to police, Thursday’s clash in Ramechhap broke out after inmates attempted to break out using a gas cylinder explosion. Security forces opened fire to regain control, resulting in three deaths. The injured were shifted to Ramechhap District Hospital for treatment.
Mass jailbreaks have swept across the country since protesters stormed multiple prison facilities, setting ablaze administrative blocks and forcing open gates. A report by The Kathmandu Post said that by Wednesday evening, preliminary figures indicated over 15,000 prisoners had fled from more than 25 prisons, with only a small fraction returning voluntarily or being re-arrested.
Major facilities affected include Kathmandu Valley’s Central Jail in Sundhara (3,300 escapees), Nakkhu Prison in Lalitpur (1,400), Dillibazar Prison (1,100), Jhumka Prison in Sunsari (1,575), and Mahottari’s Jaleshwar Prison (575). In Gandaki province, 773 inmates broke out of Kaski District Prison, including 13 Indians and four other foreign nationals.
Earlier, five juvenile inmates were killed and four seriously injured during clashes at the Naubasta Juvenile Correctional Home in Banke on Tuesday night after inmates tried to seize weapons from security personnel.
Director General of the Department of Prison Management, Lila Prasad Sharma, said that the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police have been deployed nationwide to restore order. “We are mobilising all available resources to re-arrest them as quickly as possible,” he said.
India has also heightened border security after jailbreaks in districts near the frontier. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) apprehended 13 escapees near the Bairganiya checkpoint and detained 21 others in Sitamarhi, Bihar. Similar arrests have been reported from Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
With airports reopening after a 24-hour shutdown, Air India and IndiGo have announced additional flights to Kathmandu to evacuate stranded passengers. However, the situation remains tense as prohibitory orders on public gatherings and movement continue across multiple provinces.
