• Former PM KP Sharma Oli and ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak arrested over protest crackdown.
• Crackdown during September protests resulted in at least 77 deaths.
• Arrest followed the swearing-in of new Prime Minister Balendra Shah.

Former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested on Saturday in connection with the alleged negligence during a violent crackdown on protests last September, which resulted in the deaths of at least 77 individuals. The arrests occurred just a day after Balendra Shah, a rapper-turned-politician, was sworn in as the new Prime Minister following a landslide election victory for his party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party, according to Indiatimes, Channel News Asia, BBC, and Reuters.

The crackdown on the protests, which started over a brief social media ban and escalated due to ongoing economic grievances, led to widespread violence, including attacks on government buildings. A report from a government-backed commission recommended pursuing criminal charges against Oli and Lekhak for negligence, with findings revealing that no attempt was made to control police actions during the protests. Police spokesperson Om Adhikari stated that "they were arrested this morning and the process will move forward according to the law," as reported by South China Morning Post and Channel News Asia.

The commission attributed the fatalities to "criminal negligence," estimating that the majority of victims died from bullet wounds inflicted during the protests. Newly appointed Home Minister Sudan Gurung, an influential figure during the protests, emphasized that "no one is above the law," underscoring the government’s commitment to accountability. He stated that the current arrests signify the "beginning of justice," as noted by Indiatimes, Reuters, and South China Morning Post.