Kathmandu: More than 4,500 inmates who escaped during the violent Gen-Z protests in Nepal earlier this year are yet to be brought back into custody, Om Prakash Aryal, the country’s Home Minister, said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a security conference in Dhangadhi, Aryal said that while around 15,000 prisoners had fled during the unrest on September 8 and 9, authorities have so far failed to trace 4,552 of them.

“Efforts are underway to rearrest all those who remain at large,” he said, adding that only a limited number of the escapees were convicted of serious crimes such as murder.

Prisons Attacked, Weapons Looted

According to Nepal Police, the breakdown of law and order during the protests led to coordinated attacks on several prisons, enabling thousands of convicted criminals to flee.

Amid the chaos, large quantities of arms and ammunition were also looted. Police data show that over 1,200 rifles and pistols, along with nearly 100,000 rounds of ammunition, were stolen. Aryal said that 727 of the looted firearms have been recovered so far.

Election Security Concerns

With Nepal set to hold elections for the House of Representatives on March 5 next year, concerns have intensified over the possible misuse of escaped inmates and stolen weapons to influence the polls. Reports have already emerged suggesting that some escapees have resumed criminal activities.

The Home Minister assured that the government is taking firm steps to prevent unrest during the elections.

“We will ensure that neither the escaped prisoners nor the looted weapons are used to create trouble during the upcoming elections,” Aryal said. “We are making every effort to seize all looted weapons and ammunition, and we will not allow these factors to affect the electoral process.”