Nepal’s ex-PM Oli held over protest deaths as new government takes power
Kathmandu – Nepal’s former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli was arrested on Saturday in Kathmandu as police investigate alleged negligence in failing to prevent dozens of deaths during Gen Z anti-corruption protests last September, a police official said.
Oli, 74, who resigned after the unrest, was taken into custody along with former home minister Ramesh Lekhak following a recommendation by an official panel that they be prosecuted over their handling of the violence.
Police spokesman Om Adhikari said both men were being held at the Kathmandu Police Office and would be produced before a court on Sunday.The arrests come a day after rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah was sworn in as prime minister, marking a shift in Nepal’s political leadership after elections influenced by public anger over the deaths.
Authorities said the detentions were made in line with the findings of a commission that examined the September protests, during which 76 people were killed over two days of unrest.
The panel held Oli responsible for failing to act to halt prolonged firing that killed at least 19 Gen Z protesters on the first day.“We have arrested them as per the recommendations made by the investigation commission,” Adhikari said.
Oli was later transferred to a hospital from police custody, witnesses said, citing his health condition. He has undergone two kidney transplants in the past.
Oli’s lawyer, Tikaram Bhattarai, said the arrest lacked legal basis, arguing there was no risk of his client fleeing or evading questioning.“They have said it is for investigation. It is illegal and improper,” Bhattarai told Reuters.
Lekhak and his legal representatives were not immediately available for comment.political falloutThe deaths during the protests became a central issue in Nepal’s recent elections, helping propel Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party to a landslide victory.
The demonstrations, largely driven by younger voters, were fuelled by allegations of corruption and demands for accountability.Oli’s arrest underscores the new administration’s apparent willingness to act on the findings of the investigative panel and pursue legal accountability for the violence.
