At least 12 inmates were injured on Thursday morning after the Nepalese Army fired shots to prevent a mass escape attempt at Ramechhap District Prison, officials confirmed.
According to Chief District Officer Shyam Krishna Thapa, prisoners broke through multiple internal locks and attempted to force open the main gate before security forces intervened. “Around 12 to 13 inmates were injured after the army opened fire as they reached the gate,” Thapa told The Kathmandu Post.
The Ramechhap facility, which houses more than 300 inmates, is now under control, with Army, Police, and Armed Police Force personnel stationed to secure the compound.
The incident comes amid Nepal’s worst prison break crisis in history, where over 15,000 inmates escaped from 25 prisons earlier this week during nationwide anti-corruption protests. Only a few have since been recaptured or voluntarily returned, according to a preliminary government report.
The deadliest breakout occurred at the Banke Juvenile Reform Centre, where police opened fire on rioting detainees, killing five inmates. Out of 228 minors held there, 122 escaped during the chaos.
In the Kathmandu Valley, large-scale escapes were reported from Sundhara Central Jail (3,300 inmates) and Nakkhu Prison in Lalitpur (1,400 inmates). At Dillibazar Prison, fires were set by prisoners attempting to flee, but the Army managed to cordon off the area and prevent further breakout attempts.
The unrest stems from protests that began on September 8, after the government banned major social media platforms, citing cybersecurity and tax concerns. Demonstrations quickly escalated into nationwide riots against corruption and nepotism, leaving at least 30 dead and over 1,000 injured in clashes with security forces.
Public anger has been further inflamed by viral revelations on social media exposing the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children, deepening frustration over inequality and unaccountable governance.