540 Indian nationals in Nepal prisons absconding since Gen Z protests

Kathmandu: Around 540 Indian nationals serving time in various prisons across Nepal have been absconding ever since the Gen Z protests, the Department of Prison Management said on Sunday.

More than 13,000 prisoners escaped from various jails of Nepal during the second day of anti-government Gen Z protests on September 9.

At least 5,000 Nepali citizens, convicted in various crimes, are still absconding, followed by 540 Indian nationals and 108 prisoners of other nations, the data revealed.

The government has issued alerts across the country to look out for those who have escaped from jail in different parts of the country. The Home Ministry has also issued a notice to those absconding prisoners to report to their respective jails.

Ten prisoners have died during the clash with the security forces, while 7,735 inmates who escaped from various prisons across Nepal during the Gen Z protests have either returned or been brought back to their respective detention centres, authorities reported on September 28.

Thousands of youths under the banner of the Gen Z group staged anti-government protests in Kathmandu on September 8 and 9, in which 76 people were killed.