Nepal police announced on 28/3 the arrests of former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and former interior minister Ramesh Lekhak in Kathmandu. The arrests came a day after politician and former rap singer Balendra Shah took office as Nepal's prime minister.

An investigative council accused Oli and Lekhak of dereliction of duty, alleging they failed to take any action to prevent police from firing on protesters in 9/2025.

The protests by Nepali youth, initially against a social media ban and corruption, escalated into the deadliest bout of violence in decades. Police used live ammunition to quell the unrest, killing 76 people. The protests led to the collapse of Oli's government, paving the way for Nepal to hold general elections.

After resigning, Oli stated that his government did not order police to fire on protesters and accused "infiltrators of instigating violence, leading to the tragic loss of many young lives".

Former Prime Minister Oli was taken for a health check-up after his arrest in the early morning of 28/3. Photo: AP

Today, Oli's supporters staged marches and clashed with police as authorities prevented them from burning tires near the Prime Minister's office. Witnesses reported that police fired tear gas and used batons to disperse the crowd, injuring one person.

Oli's supporters called the police's arrest an illegal act of "retaliation" and demanded his immediate release.

However, Interior Minister Sudan Gurung dismissed these criticisms, asserting that the decision to arrest Oli "is the beginning of justice. The country will move in a new direction from now on".

Witnesses reported that after his arrest, Oli, aged 74, who has undergone two kidney transplants, was transferred from police headquarters to a hospital. His lawyer, Tikaram Bhattarai, declared that Oli's arrest was illegal and would appeal to the Supreme Court.

"They said the arrest was for investigation. That is illegal and unsatisfactory because he poses no flight risk nor would he evade questioning", the lawyer asserted. Lekhak and his lawyer have not yet commented.

Oli's supporters clashed with police after his arrest in Kathmandu on 28/3. Photo: AP

Oli served as prime minister four times between 2015 and 2025 but never completed a full five-year term. In 2020, he garnered significant support by unveiling a new political map that included disputed territory controlled by India.

However, that support was short-lived. He was defeated by Shah in his home constituency in general elections this month. This marks his second defeat since multiparty democracy was restored in Nepal in 1990.

Reuters