Trending Now - Former Nepal PM Detained Amid Gen Z Protest Death Scandal

WHO:

AP News - Home Minister Sudan Gurung stated, “No one is above the law. We have taken former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak under control.”

AP News - Tikaram Bhattarai, lawyer for K.P. Sharma Oli, described the arrest as “illegal and improper.”

Sudan Gurung, new Home Minister of Nepal, stated on Facebook, “This is not vengeance against anyone, it is simply the beginning of justice. I believe the country is now headed in a new direction.”

Janak Bhatta, personal secretary to Ramesh Lekhak, confirmed Lekhak's detention.

K.P. Sharma Oli, aged 74, has had two kidney transplants in the past.

Sudan Gurung, new Home Minister of Nepal, stated, “promise is a promise: No one is above the law.”

Janak Bhatta, personal secretary to Ramesh Lekhak.

K.P. Sharma Oli, former Prime Minister of Nepal

Ramesh Lekhak, former Home Minister of Nepal

Balendra Shah, rapper-turned-politician, newly sworn-in Prime Minister of Nepal

Om Adhikari, police spokesman

Tikaram Bhattarai, lawyer for K.P. Sharma Oli

WHAT:

AP News - An investigation by a commission established by the recent interim government called for punishment of up to 10 years in prison for Oli, Lekhak, and the chief of police at the time of the protests.

AP News - Hundreds of supporters of K.P. Sharma Oli gathered near the prime minister’s office to protest his arrest, chanting slogans against the new government and burning tires.

The panel investigating the protests recommended the prosecution of K.P. Sharma Oli and Ramesh Lekhak for negligence.

Police spokesman Om Adhikari stated, “We have arrested them as per the recommendations made by the investigation commission.”

The investigation commission's report indicated that “no effort was made to stop or control the firing and, due to their negligent conduct, even minors lost their lives.”

The investigation commission's report stated, “It was not established that there was an order to shoot,” but noted that “no effort was made to stop or control the firing and, due to their negligent conduct, even minors lost their lives.”

At least 77 people were killed during the anti-corruption uprising on September 8th-9th, 2025, with at least 19 young people killed on the first day of protests.

At least 77 people were killed during the anti-corruption uprising on September 8th-9th, 2025.

The investigation commission's report indicated that “no effort was made to stop or control the firing and, due to their negligent conduct, even minors lost their lives.”

Prime Minister Balendra Shah's cabinet decided to implement the recommendations made by the investigative commission during their first meeting on March 27th, 2026.

A total of 76 people were killed during the protests over two days, leading to K.P. Sharma Oli's resignation.

Police spokesman Om Adhikari stated, “We have arrested them as per the recommendations made by the investigation commission.”

K.P. Sharma Oli, aged 74, was transferred to a hospital from the police office after his arrest.

Tikaram Bhattarai, Oli's lawyer, described the arrest as “illegal and improper” and stated, “There is no risk of him fleeing or avoiding questioning.”

K.P. Sharma Oli and Ramesh Lekhak were arrested on March 26th, 2026.

They are being investigated for negligence related to the deaths of 76 people during anti-corruption protests in September 2025.

A recommendation was made by a Nepali panel to prosecute them for negligence.

At least 19 Gen Z protesters were killed on the first day of the protests.

The investigation commission stated that Oli was responsible for not taking action to stop the violence.

WHERE:

AP News - K.P. Sharma Oli was arrested at his residence on the outskirts of Kathmandu.

K.P. Sharma Oli was taken into custody from his residence in Bhaktapur, a suburb of Kathmandu.

Kathmandu, Nepal

Kathmandu Police Office

WHEN:

AP News - The arrests occurred on March 26th, 2026, one day after Balendra Shah was sworn in as Prime Minister on March 25th, 2026.

The arrests of K.P. Sharma Oli and Ramesh Lekhak occurred on March 26th, 2026, one day after Balendra Shah was sworn in as Prime Minister on March 25th, 2026.

The court appearance for Oli and Lekhak was scheduled for March 29th, 2026.

The arrests of K.P. Sharma Oli and Ramesh Lekhak occurred on March 26th, 2026, one day after Balendra Shah was sworn in as Prime Minister on March 25th, 2026.

The arrests occurred on March 26th, 2026, and the court appearance for Oli and Lekhak was scheduled for March 27th, 2026.

The arrests occurred on March 26th, 2026, one day after Balendra Shah was sworn in as Prime Minister on March 25th, 2026.

The protests occurred in September 2025.

The arrests took place on March 26th, 2026.

The court appearance for Oli and Lekhak is scheduled for March 27th, 2026.

WHY:

AP News - The protests were fueled by anger over corruption and poor governance, leading to the deaths of 76 people and more than 2,300 injuries during the demonstrations in September 2025.

The protests were sparked by a social media ban and fueled by anger over corruption and economic conditions.

The protests were fueled by longstanding fury over economic hardship, in addition to the social media ban.

The protests were sparked by a social media ban and fueled by anger over corruption and economic conditions.

The arrests are based on the recommendations of an investigation panel regarding the deaths during the protests.

HOW:

AP News - Several trucks of police officers in riot gear conducted the arrests at the men’s homes before taking them to the Kathmandu District Police office.

The police detained Oli and Lekhak following the investigation commission's recommendations.

Police spokesman Om Adhikari stated, “They were arrested this morning and the process will move forward according to the law.”

The police detained Oli and Lekhak following the recommendations of a government-backed commission into the deadly uprising.

The police detained Oli and Lekhak following the investigation commission's recommendations.

(UPDATED March 28, 2026 23:01 UTC)

on Thursday, police arrested former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak at their residences on the outskirts of Kathmandu, following an investigation by a commission established by the new interim government that called for potential prison sentences of up to ten years for them and the then-chief of police. In response to the arrests, hundreds of Oli's supporters gathered near the prime minister's office, protesting against the new government while chanting slogans and burning tires. Tikaram Bhattarai, Oli's lawyer, described the arrest as “illegal and improper,” highlighting the ongoing tensions stemming from previous protests that resulted in 76 deaths and over 2,300 injuries in September 20th25.

(UPDATED March 28, 2026 21:01 UTC)

Sudan Gurung, the new Home Minister of Nepal, announced on Facebook that the country is beginning a new chapter of justice, while Janak Bhatta confirmed the detention of Ramesh Lekhak. The investigation panel has recommended prosecuting both K.P. Sharma Oli and Lekhak for negligence related to protests that were ignited by a social media ban and frustrations over corruption and economic issues. Police spokesman Om Adhikari stated that the arrests were made in accordance with the commission's findings, which highlighted a failure to control the situation that tragically resulted in the loss of young lives, with a court appearance for both men set for March 29th.

(UPDATED March 28, 2026 19:08 UTC)

In a significant development, Sudan Gurung, the new Home Minister of Nepal, expressed on Facebook that the recent actions are not about vengeance but rather the start of justice, indicating a new direction for the country. This comes after the arrests of K.P. Sharma Oli and Ramesh Lekhak on March 26, just one day after Balendra Shah was sworn in as Prime Minister, with police spokesman Om Adhikari confirming that the arrests were made in accordance with the law. A report from the investigation commission highlighted the tragic outcome of the anti-corruption uprising last September, where at least 77 people lost their lives, including 19 minors on the first day of protests, while noting that there was no established order to shoot but a failure to control the situation.

(UPDATED March 28, 2026 17:04 UTC)

In a significant development, Sudan Gurung, the new Home Minister of Nepal, emphasized that "promise is a promise: No one is above the law" following the tragic anti-corruption uprising that claimed at least 77 lives in September 2025. The investigation commission's report revealed that no efforts were made to control the violence, leading to the negligent loss of even minors, prompting Prime Minister Balendra Shah's cabinet to implement the commission's recommendations during their meeting on March 27, 2026. On March 26, police detained K.P. Sharma Oli and Ramesh Lekhak at their residences in Bhaktapur, with their court appearance scheduled for the following day.

(UPDATED March 28, 2026 11:04 UTC)

Protests over a social media ban, fueled by anger over corruption and economic conditions, resulted in the deaths of 76 people over two days, prompting the resignation of K.P. Sharma Oli. Following his arrest on March 26, Oli was transferred to a hospital, while his lawyer described the arrest as “illegal and improper,” asserting there was no risk of him fleeing. Police spokesman Om Adhikari confirmed that the arrests were made based on recommendations from the investigation commission.

(UPDATED March 28, 2026 09:08 UTC)

In a significant development in Nepal, K.P. Sharma Oli and Ramesh Lekhak were arrested on March 26, 2026, following an investigation into their negligence related to the deaths of 76 people during anti-corruption protests in September 2025. The investigation commission has stated that Oli failed to take necessary actions to prevent the violence, which resulted in the tragic loss of at least 19 Gen Z protesters on the first day of the demonstrations. Their court appearance was scheduled for March 27, 2026, at the Kathmandu Police Office, where they will face prosecution based on the panel's recommendations.