KATHMANDU, Nov 13: Two months after the Gen Z protest rocked parts of the country, the government says it has made notable progress in restoring order — with 718 looted weapons recovered and over 9,400 escaped inmates returning to prison.
Addressing the Federalism Enablement and National Concerns Committee under National Assembly on Wednesday, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal revealed that a joint security operation has been ongoing to retrieve weapons and apprehend fugitives linked to the violent demonstrations of September 8 and 9.
“A total of 718 weapons have already been recovered. The government remains committed to recovering the remaining ones,” Aryal said, adding that around 1,200 weapons were looted during the protest.
Vocational training to 14,718 conflict victims
Minister Aryal described the recovery operation as one of the largest in recent years, involving coordinated efforts among police, armed forces, and local administrations. The home ministry has also issued repeated public appeals for the surrender of remaining weapons.
In a remarkable turnaround, 9,441 prisoners who had escaped during the chaos have voluntarily returned to prison, Aryal said. However, 5,013 fugitives are still at large, and the government has made public the list of absconding inmates to aid in their capture.
“Fugitive prisoners and missing weapons are the government’s main challenges,” the Home Minister said. “Our priority now is to ensure peace and stability as we move toward the scheduled elections on March 5.
The Gen Z movement had inflicted significant damage on the country’s security infrastructure. Out of 465 police units affected, 448 are now fully operational, according to the Home Ministry.
Authorities have also arrested 429 individuals, while 168 people face criminal charges for their alleged involvement in acts of violence and looting during the unrest.
Election preparations underway
Minister Aryal also shared updates on preparations for the upcoming election. He said the government is fully prepared to conduct timely polls and hand over power to elected representatives without delay.
To ensure wider participation, the government has amended the Voters’ List Act (2073 BS), enabling young citizens to register to vote. According to the Election Commission, this has added more than 200,000 new voters.
Aryal noted that joint security patrols have been launched across the country, and a central task force led by a Home Ministry joint secretary has submitted a comprehensive election security plan for approval.
Minister Aryal also said that the government has begun groundwork to extend voting rights to Nepalis living abroad. The Policy Research Institute has been tasked with studying the technical and administrative feasibility of the initiative, drawing on international best practices.
Meanwhile, district security committees have submitted risk assessments of polling centers, and damaged voting sites are being reconstructed in coordination with local governments.
