Nepal Police confirmed on Friday that they have arrested Durga Prasai, a controversial businessman who has been on the run for leading a violent protest.
Authorities have charged Prasai with planning and directing a violent demonstration in support of the monarchy on March 28. The protest, which turned chaotic, demanded the reinstatement of Nepal’s monarchy. Since the event, authorities have been actively looking for Prasai, and his arrest is a major step forward in the case.
Authorities have charged Prasai with committing a crime against the state
After three police teams were dispatched to India to track down Durga Prasai, the Special Bureau captured him near Nepal’s eastern border. Local reports state that Deepak Khadka, his bodyguard, was also arrested.
Deputy Inspector General Dinesh Kumar Acharya, a spokesman for the Nepal Police, confirmed that officers took both individuals to Kathmandu for further investigation. Authorities accuse them of engaging in organized violence and committing crimes against the state during the March 28 pro-monarchy demonstration in Tinkune.
Supporters of Prasai assert that he willingly turned himself in to Indian authorities, who purportedly turned him over to Nepal Police at the border.
After Durga Prasai arrives at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the authorities will transfer him to the District Police Complex and then move him to the Bhadrakali custody center. They will then present him before the District Court, where the District Public Prosecutor’s Office will request an extension of his remand for further investigation.
What happened at the protest held on March 28, 2025?
On March 28, the united movement committee, headed by Nawaraj Subedi, staged a large-scale pro-monarchy protest in Kathmandu’s Tinkune neighborhood, which caused tensions to rise.
According to reports, businessman Durga Prasai was instrumental in organizing the protest, which Rajendra Lingden’s Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) also backed.
The demonstration descended into violence, with clashes with security forces leaving hundreds injured and two people dead. The riots caused an estimated property damage worth 460 million NPR.
The Rastriya Prajatantra group (RPP), a political group that supports monarchy, staged a demonstration in Balkhu, Kathmandu, on Tuesday. RPP Chairman Rajendra Lingden spearheaded the demonstration, which was titled “Let’s change the system to change the situation.”
Security personnel were on heightened alert for the event due to the recent violent demonstration in Tinkune. Nepal Police have detained several RPP leaders, including General Secretary Dhawal Shamsher Rana and Vice Chairman Rabindra Mishra, for their roles in the earlier disturbances.
Earlier in the week, the Kathmandu District Court extended the detention of Mishra, Rana, and 18 other individuals for 15 more days as the investigation into their alleged roles in the violent pro-monarchy demonstrations continues.
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