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Nepal’s ex-PM K.P. Sharma Oli arrested over alleged role in deadly September crackdown

Police arrested former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli and ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak over an alleged role in the September crackdown that killed at least 77 people, days after a new cabinet took office.

Mar 28th 2026 · Nepal

Insights

  • K.P. Sharma Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested on Saturday over their alleged involvement in the crackdown.
  • The arrests came a day after Prime Minister Balendra Shah and his cabinet were sworn in.
  • At least 77 people were killed in the anti-corruption uprising on September 8 and 9.
  • The protests began after a brief social media ban and tapped into wider anger over economic hardship.
  • The unrest spread nationwide, saw parliament and government offices set ablaze, and led to the government’s collapse.