KATHMANDU: A total of 8,816 prisoners who escaped during the Gen-Z protests on September 8 and 9 are still at large, according to the Department of Prison Management.
During the unrest, inmates escaped from 27 prisons and nine juvenile correctional homes across the country. Chomedra Neupane, Director of the Department, said that out of 29,212 total inmates, 13,591 prisoners managed to escape. Similarly, 964 out of 1,422 juveniles fled from correctional facilities.
The prisons affected by the mass jailbreaks include Jhumka, Solukhumbu, Saptari, Mahottari, Rautahat, Sindhuli, Nakkhu, Jagannathdeval, Dillibazaar, Rasuwa, Chitwan, Tanahun, Kaski, Parbat, Kapilvastu, Tulsipur, Naubasta, Rukumpur, Jumla, Bajhang, Kailali, Darchula, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, and Kanchanpur.
Escapes were also reported from juvenile correctional homes in Morang, Parsa, Bhaktapur, Makawanpur, Kaski, Rupandehi, Jayandu, Naubasta, and Doti.
So far, 5,495 prisoners and 244 juveniles have returned or been recaptured, Neupane said.
The Department stated that efforts are ongoing to locate and apprehend the remaining 8,816 fugitives. Nepal Police confirmed that some escapees were in police custody at the time of the protests and that nationwide search operations are underway
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