NEW DELHI, September 10. /TASS/. At least 7,557 inmates have escaped from Nepalese prisons after the country was engulfed by mass unrest on September 9, the newspaper Republica reported, citing a source in the Nepalese Ministry of Internal Affairs.

According to the source, reports of escaped prisoners have been received from 13 correctional facilities. Law enforcement and armed forces units have been deployed across the country to apprehend the fugitives. Authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious situations.

Earlier, the portal Khabarhub reported that over 570 inmates had escaped from Jaleshwar Prison in the Mahottari District. According to the portal, all prisoners from the Lalitpur prison, which held at least 1,500 people, have also fled. Additionally, reports indicate that more than 500 inmates escaped from the district prison in the western part of the Nawalparasi District in southern Nepal, and approximately 900 criminals broke out of a penitentiary institution in the city of Pokhara in the center of the country.

On unrest in Nepal

Upheavals after anti-government protests raged in the Nepalese capital and other cities on Monday and Tuesday. Prime Minister Sharma Oli has stepped down. Protesters set fire to a number of government buildings, including the parliament, Supreme Court, prosecutor’s office. Attacks on politicians and officials’ residences were reported.

The demonstrators opposed the government’s September 4 decision to restrict access to some messengers and social networks that were not registered with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology on time. Thousands rallied, mostly young people and students. Preliminary reports say 22 people have died and more than 500 have been injured. On September 9, the government lifted the social media ban amid the unrest.

Although the protests took place without official leaders, chairman of the youth non-profit organization Hami Nepal (We are for Nepal) Sudan Gurung became their face. This organization advocates for the active participation of young people in the transformation of society, against censorship on the Internet and corruption.