Protests Erupt Across Nepal Following Arrest of Former PM K P Sharma Oli
Protests broke out across Nepal as CPN-UML activists demonstrated against the arrest of their party chair and former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. The clashes followed Oli's arrest, alongside ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak, for purported involvement in suppressing the Gen Z movement last year, where 76 people were killed.
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In a wave of fervor, CPN-UML members on Saturday took to the streets in various regions of Nepal to express dissent over the detention of their leader, former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. Demonstrations unfolded as police arrested Oli along with former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak on allegations linked to last year’s violent crackdown on the Gen Z movement which claimed 76 lives.
Masses of CPN-UML supporters rallied in locales such as Damak municipality, Pokhara, and several Kathmandu hotspots, demanding Oli’s release. Tensions surged as protesters directed chants against the newly-formed Balendra Shah government and Home Minister Sudan Gurung. The unrest was met with a hefty police response, including baton charges and tear gas to disperse defiant crowds.
In Kathmandu’s Bhrikutimandap and Babarmahal, the scene was marked by burning tires and heightened fury. Police resorts to arrest tactics as activists breached security perimeters, leading to skirmishes outside the Singhdurbar Secretariat. The government's commitment to act on investigation findings of last year's protest added fuel to the unrest.
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