Former Nepal PM Sharma Oli Arrested Over Deadly 2025 Anti-Government Protests

Nepalese police arrested former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak early Saturday, March 28, in connection with the deaths of 76 people during anti-government protests in September 2025. Officers in riot gear detained both men at their respective homes on the outskirts of Kathmandu before transferring them to the Kathmandu District Police office, according to AP News. The arrests came one day after rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah was sworn in as prime minister, following his Rastriya Swatantra Party secured a landslide victory in the March 5, 2026, parliamentary elections. A police spokesperson confirmed the detentions to AFP, stating that "the process will continue in accordance with the law."

Commission's 900-page report triggered the arrests The arrests followed the publication of a thick 900-page report by a government-appointed investigative commission, which recommended criminal proceedings against Oli, Lekhak, and the then-chief of police. The commission found that while no direct order to open fire on protesters could be proven, "no effort was made to prevent or control the shooting," according to reporting by AFP cited in multiple outlets. The panel concluded that Oli bore responsibility for failing to stop what it described as hours-long use of firearms on September 8, 2025, when at least 19 demonstrators were killed by gunfire in Kathmandu alone. The commission recommended punishment of up to 10 years in prison for those found culpable. Oli denied ordering police to fire on protesters. His lawyer described the arrest to Reuters as illegal and inappropriate, arguing there was no risk that the 74-year-old former leader would flee or evade questioning. Lekhak made no immediate public comment following his detention.

The September 2025 protests began on September 8, when thousands of young people took to the streets of Kathmandu and other Nepalese cities to denounce a government ban on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and X, as well as widespread corruption and poor governance. The unrest, driven largely by Generation Z activists, escalated sharply when security forces opened fire on demonstrators. Over two days, 76 people were killed and more than 2,300 injured, according to the commission's toll. Angry crowds burned down the offices of the prime minister and president, looted parliament, and destroyed police stations, forcing senior politicians to flee by army helicopter. The crisis led to Oli's resignation and the appointment of Sushila Karki, a retired Supreme Court judge, as Nepal's first female prime minister in a caretaker capacity ahead of fresh elections.

Oli hospitalized shortly after arrest, citing heart and kidney problems Shortly after his arrest, Oli, dressed entirely in white, was taken under heavy police escort to a hospital, AFP journalists observed on the scene. A Kathmandu police spokesperson, Pawan Kumar Bhattarai, confirmed the hospitalization was made on a doctor's recommendation, citing the 74-year-old's heart and kidney problems. The two detained politicians were expected to be brought before a court on Sunday, according to Zeit Online. New Home Minister Sudan Gurung, who announced the arrests on social media, had himself been a prominent figure during the 2025 protests. „No one is above the law. We have taken former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak under control. This is not revenge against anyone, it is just the beginning of justice.” — Sudan Gurung via AP News

Shah's landslide reshapes Nepal's political landscape The political backdrop to the arrests is a dramatic realignment of Nepalese politics. Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old civil engineer who rose to prominence on Nepal's underground hip-hop scene before being elected mayor of Kathmandu in 2022, was sworn in as prime minister on Friday, March 27, before President Ram Chandra Poudel. His RSP won 182 (seats) — RSP seats won out of 275 in parliament in the House of Representatives, giving the party an absolute majority. Oli's Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) finished a distant third with 25 seats, according to reporting by newsORF.at. Shah had campaigned explicitly on a promise to remove the "traditional elite" from power and fight corruption, positioning himself as a spokesperson for the demands of the Generation Z movement. The arrests of his predecessor and the former home minister on his second day in office mark a swift opening move by the new administration.

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP): 182, CPN-UML (Oli's party): 25

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