.The unrest, now in its fourth day, has disrupted activity in one of Asia’s largest planned industrial townships, where thousands of manufacturing units operate. Protesters, many employed in small factories, have been demanding higher wages and improved labour conditions amid rising living costs linked to global supply disruptions.

Workers said their grievances include long working hours, unpaid overtime and lack of adherence to government labour guidelines. Vinay Mahoti, a worker from Bihar employed in a hosiery unit, said demonstrations that began within factory premises spread to the streets as employees from multiple companies joined in.

Visuals showed protesters marching, chanting slogans and clashing with security personnel, with some overturning vehicles and setting them on fire while others hurled stones at barricades.

Local police said they were attempting to restore order using limited force. “Senior police and administrative officials are making persistent efforts to counsel the workers and urge them to maintain peace and restraint,” the Gautam Budh Nagar police said in a statement.

Narendra Kashyap called on demonstrators to engage in dialogue with authorities, urging a peaceful resolution to the dispute.The protests follow similar labour unrest in the neighbouring state of Haryana last week, where the government responded to worker demands by ordering a 35% increase in minimum wages.

Rising inflation and cost pressures, partly driven by global energy disruptions linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict, have intensified economic strain on industrial workers, contributing to growing unrest in key manufacturing regions.

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.