Nepalese police on Friday said at least 51 people have been killed in this week’s violent anti-corruption protests, as the scale of the unrest that toppled the government continues to unfold.
Authorities confirmed that talks are ongoing between the president, protest representatives, potential interim leaders, and the army — which has imposed a nationwide curfew and assumed control of the streets to restore order.
According to officials, at least 21 protesters were among those killed, most of them on Monday during a police crackdown on demonstrations against corruption, poor governance, and a government ban on social media.
The crisis deepened on Tuesday when protesters set the parliament building on fire, forcing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign. The army subsequently took over security operations.
Nepal’s military said Friday it had recovered more than 100 firearms looted during the uprising, during which demonstrators were seen carrying automatic rifles.
Police spokesman Binod Ghimire told AFP that “51 people have died so far this week in the protests, including at least 21 protestors and three policemen.”
Ghimire added that more than 12,500 prisoners remain at large after escaping from several prisons nationwide amid the chaos.
“About 13,500 prisoners had escaped — some have been recaptured, 12,533 are still at large,” he said, noting that some of the dead were inmates killed during or after their escape in clashes with security forces.
Several fugitives have attempted to cross Nepal’s porous border into India, where Indian border forces have apprehended dozens, he added.
