Over 15,000 prisoners escape amid violent protests in Nepal: Report
Kathmandu: Nepal is facing a nationwide security crisis after more than 15,000 inmates escaped from over 25 prisons across the country amid violent protests against corruption and the government in the country, The Kathmandu Post reported.
The mass jailbreaks began when angry demonstrators stormed multiple prison facilities, setting administrative buildings on fire and breaking open gates. In several locations, inmates reportedly attempted to seize control of the prisons, leading to clashes with security forces.
The deadliest incident occurred at the Banke Juvenile Reform Centre, where police opened fire to contain the chaos, leaving five inmates dead. Of the 228 children at the centre, 122 managed to flee from the facility.
At Sundhara’s Central Jail, around 3,300 inmates escaped, while another 1,400 prisoners broke out of Nakkhu Prison in Lalitpur. In Kaski District Prison, 773 inmates escaped after protesters torched the administrative block on Tuesday evening.
Other major prison breaks were reported at Jhumka Prison in Sunsari, one of Nepal’s largest facilities, where 1,575 prisoners escaped, and at Jaleshwar Prison in Mahottari, which saw the escape of 575 inmates. Authorities mentioned that 220 inmates later returned voluntarily or were captured by the army.
Families of crime victims have expressed fear as inmates convicted of heinous crimes such as murders, rapes, abductions, and human trafficking have also escaped, the report added.
Meanwhile, the Department of Prison Management stated that it was still compiling final figures from all provinces. Director General Lila Prasad Sharma confirmed that the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police have been deployed nationwide to re-arrest escapees and restore order.
“We are mobilising all available resources to re-arrest them as quickly as possible," The Kathmandu Post quoted him as saying.
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Former minister C M Ibrahim announces to launch new regional party for Karnataka
Kalaburagi: Two years after being expelled from the Janata Dal (Secular), former minister C.M. Ibrahim has announced that he will launch a new regional political party in Karnataka on January 24, reported Deccan Herald.
Speaking at a meeting organised by the Nava Karnataka Nirmana Andolana in Kalaburagi on Sunday, Ibrahim confirmed the birth of the new party.
The 77-year-old politician stated he would soon be meeting with other like-minded individuals to choose a symbol for the party.
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Ibrahim emphasised that the organisation would be guided by the principles of 12th-century social reformer Basavanna and the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
A veteran politician, Ibrahim served as Union Civil Aviation Minister during the tenure of H.D. Deve Gowda as Prime Minister and later headed the Karnataka unit of the Janata Dal (Secular). He was expelled from the JD(S) in 2023 on charges of anti-party activities.
His exit from the party followed sharp differences over the JD(S) decision to ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As the then state president of the JD(S), Ibrahim had publicly criticised the alliance, claiming it was finalised without his knowledge. He had also reportedly convened meetings of his supporters and expressed support for the INDIA bloc.
