KATHMANDU, Nepal — Police in Nepal arrested former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli early Saturday over the deaths of dozens of people during violent protests in September that toppled the government and resulted in new elections.
Authorities arrested the powerful Communist Party leader at his residence on the outskirts of the capital, Kathmandu. They also arrested Ramesh Lekhak, the former home minister who has been accused of ordering authorities to fire on protesters.
The arrests come a day after a new government headed by rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah took office following a landslide win in a parliamentary election by his Rastriya Swatantra Party.
“No one is above the law. We have taken former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak under control,” Home Minister Sudan Gurung said in announcing the arrests on social media. “This is not revenge against anyone, it is just the beginning of justice.”
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.
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 arrests triggered the anger of Oli’s supporters, and hundreds gathered near the prime minister’s office later Saturday to protest and demand that Oli be immediately released from custody.
They chanted slogans against the new government, burnt tires and scuffled with riot police who used batons to try to clear the road blocked by the protesters. No major injuries were reported, and police said they detained seven protesters.
The election this month was the country’s first since youth-led protests decrying corruption and poor governance in September left 76 people dead and more than 2,300 injured. Angry mobs burned down the offices of the prime minister and president, police stations and the homes of top politicians who were forced to flee on army helicopters.
The demonstrations fueled by Gen Z movement activists led to the appointment of Nepal’s first female prime minister, Sushila Karki, a retired Supreme Court justice who served during the transition leading up to the election.
Gurubacharya writes for the Associated Press.
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