KATHMANDU:- n the wake of the Gen-Z protests, a wave of unrest has swept across country’s prison system, with inmates setting fire to facilities and attempting mass jailbreaks.
According to preliminary and unofficial data, prison management authorities report that nearly 5,000 prisoners have escaped from various prisons nationwide over Tuesday night and Wednesday.
The Department of Prison Management, however, has yet to release official figures, and accurate data on the exact number of escapes from each facility remains unavailable.
According to DIG Lila Prasad Sharma, officials are still gathering precise information, including how many have been re-arrested from across 75 prisons in 72 districts. There are currently 18,467 total inmates including both men and women prisoners.
Meanwhile, preliminary reports indicate that over 3,000 inmates escaped from Sundhara Prison alone Tuesday midnight.
Among them is former Home Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, who was being held in connection with the fake Bhutanese refugee case.
Pandey reportedly called prison authorities around 11:00 pm on
Tuesday, stating he would return later. Of the over 3,800 inmates at Sundhara, only about 500 remain in prison at present, according to the Department.
Also involved in the escape are suspended UML Secretary Top Bahadur Raymajhi, who was held in connection with the same case. Following the escape of all inmates, including media personality Rabi Lamichhane, from Nakhhu Prison, Sundhara inmates began protests that culminated in breaking the gates and fleeing around 11:00 pm.
According to DG Sharma, in security backup of the Nepali Army, many prison officials have tried to control and put them behind the prison following many risky efforts.
Among many of them, one prisoner died in such jailbreak effort when tried to retaliate with army in Dhading prison on Wednesday afternoon.