Oli, who resigned on September 9 amid a nationwide outcry over his handling of the crisis, stated that no order had been given by his government to open fire on protesters
Former Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli resigned on September 9. File Pic/AFP
Former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has claimed that the use of automatic weapons during the Nepal Gen Z protests on September 8, which led to the deaths of at least 19 people on the first day, must be investigated, as these weapons were “not in the possession of police authorities,” the IANS reported.
Oli, who resigned on September 9 amid a nationwide outcry over his handling of the crisis, stated that no order had been given by his government to open fire on protesters.
He alleged that the fatalities were caused by “conspirators” who had infiltrated the protests and resorted to violence.
“Such a high number of deaths in a single day has never occurred in Nepal’s past protest movements,” Oli said in a public statement, according to the IANS.
According to the Nepal Police, 72 people have died in protest-related incidents so far, including individuals found dead in the Bhatbhateni Supermarket, which was set ablaze by demonstrators, reported the IANS.
K P Sharma Oli also blamed “a well-planned conspiracy” for the coordinated arson attacks on key state institutions, including Singh Durbar (the main government complex), parliament, Supreme Court, political party offices, and homes of senior leaders, the news agency reported.
His own residence in Balkot, Bhaktapur was badly damaged in one such attack, as were the homes of former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba, Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), and Jhalanath Khanal.
Following these threats, the former Nepal PM was placed under the protection of the Nepal Army, but has since moved to a rented home in Gundu, some 12 km from Kathmandu.
Oli, who has long claimed to be steering Nepal towards prosperity, faced growing criticism for the deteriorating political and economic conditions under his leadership. His government was plagued by multiple corruption scandals, many of which allegedly involved senior officials and Oli himself.
In the wake of his resignation, a new apolitical interim government has been formed, led by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki. The caretaker administration has been tasked with restoring stability and conducting parliamentary elections, now scheduled for March 5, 2026.
(with IANS inputs)
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