13,000 prisoners escape from jail as violent protests rock Nepal

More than 13,000 prisoners escaped from correctional facilities across Nepal amid violent anti-government protests that spiralled out of control this week, according to Nepali officials.

Among those freed was Rabi Lamichhane, former deputy prime minister and chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), who was held at Nakkhu Central Jail in Lalitpur. The RSP is currently the fourth largest party in Nepal's parliament, reports the  Indian Express. 

Protesters celebrate at the Singha Durbar, the seat of Nepal’s government’s various ministries and offices, after burning it down during a protest against a social media ban and corruption in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

The unrest has also left Nepal's judicial system in disarray. The Supreme Court, the Attorney General's Office, and at least 17 lower courts in different districts were torched or destroyed. 

"I am surprised that courts that had pending cases against a particular leader of a national party had been targeted," a functionary of the Supreme Court said, adding that the violence had turned decades-old records "into ashes."

The mass demonstrations forced Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli to resign on Tuesday, leaving a serious law and order vacuum across the country. The Nepal Army responded by imposing nationwide restrictive orders and a curfew on Wednesday.

Protesters throng Singha Durbar, the seat of Nepal’s government’s various ministries and offices during a protest against social media ban and corruption in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

Taking advantage of the chaos, inmates launched coordinated attempts to break out of prisons in several districts, triggering violent clashes with security personnel.

At Naubasta Regional Jail in Banke district, five juvenile inmates were killed after police opened fire during a riot late Tuesday. The clash erupted when detainees at the Naubasta Correctional Home tried to seize weapons from guards. 

Armed soldiers guard Kathmandu streets Wednesday, urging residents to stay home following widespread violence in which protesters stormed government buildings and targeted politicians. Photo: AP

"Five juvenile inmates died in a clash with security personnel at the Naubasta Correctional Home in Naubasta Regional Jail located in Baijnath Rural Municipality-3 of Banke on Tuesday night," The Rising Nepal reported.

The Naubasta Juvenile Correctional Home office confirmed that four others were seriously injured, while 149 of 585 prisoners from the jail and 76 of 176 juvenile detainees managed to escape during the violence.

A Nepal Army personnel escorts the prisoners who escaped from prison in the aftermath of anti-government protests, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (PTI Photo)

According to MyRepublica, around 7,000 inmates in total have fled prisons nationwide. "The prisoners threatened security personnel while breaking out. With convicts serving sentences for various crimes now at large, fear has gripped the public," the outlet said.