Nepal Arrests Former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli Over Deadly 2025 Protest Crackdown
Ex-PM and former home minister detained day after Balendra Shah sworn in; action follows inquiry commission recommendations for criminal negligence charges
KATHMANDU — March 28, 2026 — Nepal’s former prime minister KP Sharma Oli and his former home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested early on Saturday, March 28, in connection with the violent crackdown on youth-led anti-corruption protests in September 2025 that left at least 76 people dead and more than 2,500 injured .
The arrests came less than 24 hours after Balendra Shah, the 35-year-old former Kathmandu mayor and rapper-turned-politician, was sworn in as Nepal’s 46th prime minister on Friday, March 27 . Kathmandu Valley police spokesman Om Adhikari confirmed the detentions, stating that “the process will move forward according to the law” .
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Oli, 74, was detained from his residence in Gundu, Bhaktapur, while Lekhak was taken into custody from Suryabinayak in the same district, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Prabin Dhital . Both leaders are expected to be produced before a court on Sunday, March 29 .
The September 2025 ‘Gen Z’ Uprising
The arrests stem from a two-day period of unprecedented unrest on September 8 and 9, 2025, which ultimately led to the collapse of Oli’s government and reshaped Nepal’s political landscape . What began as a peaceful youth movement against the government’s ban on 26 social media platforms quickly evolved into a nationwide anti-corruption and economic protest fueled by long-standing frustrations over unemployment and governance failures .
According to official reports, at least 19 young protesters were killed on the first day alone when security forces moved to disperse crowds . By the following day, protests had spread nationwide, with government buildings and parliament offices set ablaze, forcing Oli to resign .
The death toll from the two-day uprising stands at 76 confirmed killed, with more than 2,500 injured, according to a government-commissioned inquiry . The commission’s report, led by former Special Court Chairperson Gauri Bahadur Karki, found that security forces “fired blindly” and that there was a failure at the highest levels of government to stop the violence .
Commission Findings and Charges
The inquiry panel’s report, which was made public this week, recommended that Oli, Lekhak, and then Inspector General of Police Chandra Kuber Khapung face prosecution under Sections 181 and 182 of Nepal’s National Penal Code for criminal negligence . A conviction could carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years .
While the report noted that it was “not established that there was an order to shoot,” it concluded that “no effort was made to stop or control the firing and, due to their negligent conduct, even minors lost their lives” . The commission accused the former leaders of acting as “mere spectators” during a continuous four-hour clash outside the Federal Parliament on Sept. 8, allegedly failing to order a cease-fire or implement harm-minimization measures as security forces used indiscriminate lethal force against crowds .
The report also recommended legal action against several other officials, including then Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Dawadi, Armed Police Force Chief Raju Aryal, former intelligence head Hutaraj Thapa, and then Kathmandu Chief District Officer Chhabi Rijal .
New Government’s Swift Action
The arrests represent the first major action under the new administration of Prime Minister Balendra Shah, whose Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) won a landslide victory in the March 5 parliamentary elections, securing 182 of 275 seats . Shah defeated Oli by nearly 50,000 votes in Jhapa-5, a long-standing stronghold of Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) .
Following Friday’s swearing-in ceremony at the President’s Office, Shah’s cabinet held its first meeting and committed to fully implementing the recommendations of the inquiry commission . Newly appointed Home Minister Sudan Gurung, who rose to prominence as a key figure during the 2025 youth protests, directed relevant agencies to “immediately implement” the commission’s findings .
“This is not revenge against anyone; it is just the beginning of justice. I believe that now the country will take a new direction,” Gurung posted on social media following the arrests .
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Political Reactions
Oli has rejected the charges as politically motivated. According to local media reports, he consulted his legal team soon after police arrived at his residence, calling the arrest “retaliatory” and vowing to fight it in court .
“This arrest is retaliatory. I will fight it legally—please make the necessary preparations,” he reportedly told his lawyers .
Lekhak echoed the charge, telling reporters: “I have been arrested in a politically prejudiced and retaliatory manner. I am ready to fight this politically” .
The Communist Party of Nepal (UML) called an emergency secretariat meeting following Oli’s detention, with party leaders gathering to discuss the situation . Party leader Raghuji Panta questioned the basis of the action, stating: “The investigation committee report itself doesn’t have enough grounds for the arrest. It is prepared with an intention” .
Path Forward
Since Saturday is a public holiday in Nepal, both men will remain in custody until court proceedings resume on Sunday . Legal experts note that the commission’s report is not itself a charge sheet, and police investigations must be completed before formal charges can be filed in court .
The arrests mark a historic moment in Nepal’s political history, representing one of the first times a former prime minister has faced swift criminal accountability for state violence. The new government has framed the action as a commitment to its anti-corruption mandate and a promise to deliver justice for the victims of the 2025 uprising.
For the families of the 76 people killed during the protests, the arrests signal the beginning of a long-awaited accountability process that many feared would never come. As Home Minister Gurung emphasized: “No one is above the law” .
SOURCES / INPUTS
1 OCCRP: Nepal’s New Prime Minister Vows to Prosecute Predecessors Over Deadly Protest Crackdown
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