Ruptly
"Tensions erupted in Kathmandu on Sunday, as supporters of former Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli clashed with police following his arrest. Footage shows crowds filling streets near the district court and police headquarters, with riot police standing in formation, before officers moved in to disperse demonstrators and media personnel with force in the city centre. "We were protesting peacefully, but police chased our friends who had fallen back to their homes and struck them on the head with batons," one demonstrator said, accusing law enforcement of using violent tactics to contain the protest. He also claimed that officers were treating supporters of Oli's Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist–Leninist with a 'systematic and oppressive approach', vowing to 'retaliate' through nationwide demonstrations. "The use of batons against civilians in public is unjust and inhumane [...] If he (former PM Oli) is not released, we will keep our protest going, and we are also ready to give our lives for him," another demonstrator said, demanding the arrest of Gen-Z movement leaders over last year's unrest. Authorities detained former prime minister Sharma Oli earlier on Saturday in connection with a culpable homicide case linked to the violent suppression of Nepal's 2025 protests, which eventually forced him from office. During the initial crackdown, at least 19 people were killed, while a later government investigation put the overall death toll from the unrest at 76. Former home minister Ramesh Lekhak was also taken into custody. A government panel recommended prosecuting both men, saying they failed to prevent the use of lethal force against demonstrators. The arrest triggered a sharp political backlash from the Communist Party of Nepal, which condemned the move as a 'political vendetta' and convened an emergency meeting to plan its response. Oli, 74, was later admitted to a hospital in Kathmandu for medical checks following his detention. The arrest comes just a day after rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah was sworn in as the country’s new leader following his landslide election victory in March."
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