More than 7,500 prisoners flee jails in Nepal amid nationwide violence

Amid nationwide violence in Nepal over the past two days, more than 7,500 prisoners have fled from more than 10 jails across the country, according to reports.

Republica newspaper has cited sources in the Nepali Home Ministry to report the following jailbreaks and prison-escapes.

• Dillibazar Jail (1,100)

• Chitwan (700)

• Nakkhu (1,200)

• Jhumpka in Sunsari (1,575)

• Kanchanpur (450)

• Kailali (612)

• Jaleshwar (576)

• Kaski (773)

• Dang (124)

• Jumla (36)

• Solukhumbu (86)

• Gaur (260)

• Bajhang (65)

At some places, however, prisonbreaks failed at some places like Birgunj and Ramechhap where the police and army controlled the situation.

At Birgunj, the police and the army resorted to aerial firing of bullets and tear gas to contain the situation when prisoners tried to escape, according to Kantipur.

At Ramechhap, Nepal Army troops foiled a breakout attempt and opened fire on Thursday morning, according to The Kathmandu Post.

Elsewhere, inmates set fire inside the Kavre District Prison, 459 inmates escaped from the Kapilvastu prison after setting it ablaze, and 76 prisoners fled from Solukhumbu prison after setting it ablaze.

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In Biratnagar, at least 249 juvenile inmates escaped from a correction home, according to Kantipur.

The newspaper reported that inmates broke the lock of the facility, tore documents, and fled collectively. The report said that only 20-25 inmates remained in the facility.

While jailbreaks mostly happened from inside these facilities, in some instances, relatives of inmates also created a ruckus outside of facilities.

Former Deputy PM, bomb blast convict freed from jail

Among thousands of prisoners freed from jail are former Deputy Prime Minister Rabi Lamichhane and Sanjay ‘Takla’, a former minister sentenced to life.

Republica newspaper reported that Lamichhane’s release fuelled unrest among other prisoners who demanded similar release.

Moreover, the newspaper reported unrest in the Madhesh region of Nepal after Takla’s escape. Takla was serving a life term after being convicted in the Janakpur bomb blast case in which five people were killed. Janakpur is the capital of Madhes province — Madhes is also a term for the plains of Nepal.

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