Police stated that on Saturday morning, the two men were arrested regarding their involvement in the violent response to protests in September which resulted in deaths. Police say the arrests followed the legal advice that came from the government-backed investigation of the unrest in 1025. They were sworn in as the new government started.
Arrests and immediate official response
Kathmandu police have confirmed the two arrests and say the legal system will now follow the law. A police spokesperson said the two were taken into custody early Saturday, and investigators will do things as they usually do for questioning and possibly charging someone with a crime.
The day before the new Prime Minister and his cabinet were officially sworn in after elections (the first ones since the 2025 uprising overthrew the previous government), these arrests happened. The government says they are doing what the commission recommended and trying to get the public to trust the government again.
The 2025 youth uprising and its human toll
The trouble started on September 8th and 9th. A quick ban on social media caused a lot of young people to protest against corruption. This began as an issue with technology, but it showed a lot of deeper frustration with the economy and how the country was being run.
During those two days of chaos, at least 77 people died. According to the commission, nineteen young protesters were killed on the first day as security forces responded. The following day there were protests all over the country, with buildings of parliament and the government being burned down. This led to the government falling apart and the Prime Minister resigning.
Commission findings and evidence summary
A commission appointed by the government created a report which was hundreds of pages long and included thousands of pages of other documents. Over 200 people were interviewed, including high-ranking officials, and a huge collection of proof was gathered to help with bringing charges against people.
The commission couldn’t find definite proof that someone gave a direct order to start shooting. However, they decided that the authorities didn’t do enough to stop the shooting or get it under control, and that being careless led to people dying, even children. Of the 63 bodies examined after death, 48 had been killed by bullets, and many of those were in the chest or head.
Political reactions and public statements
Sudan Gurung, the newly appointed Home Minister, and a well-known leader of the protests, said the arrests are the beginning of justice and that the law applies to everyone. He said the legal actions are about making people answer for what they have done, not getting even, and he hopes the country will go in a new direction.
KP Sharma Oli says this is all being done for political reasons. He supposedly told his lawyers that the arrests are meant to punish him and he will fight them in court. Oli has always said he didn’t tell the security forces to shoot at protesters and in the past, during his unsuccessful attempt to be re-elected, he said that people from outside the country were responsible for the violence.
Legal pathway and national implications
Prosecutors now have difficult questions about if people in charge are responsible, and if they were criminally careless. Because the commission didn’t find a clear order to shoot, it’s harder to directly say someone intentionally killed people. But the finding that people were careless does give a legal basis for charges about failing to stop the illegal use of force.
Besides the legal issues, the arrests are politically very important. They show how much people want accountability after a movement led by young people changed politics and caused a large shift in how people voted. These actions could put Nepal’s organizations to the test as the country tries to deal with a difficult time in its history and strengthen the rule of law.
As the legal case goes on, investigators will use the commission’s report, the results of the autopsies, and statements from witnesses to build their cases. For many of the families of those who died and the protestors who wanted change, the arrests are a first step towards getting what they deserve and could be a turning point in Nepal’s recovery after the uprising.
