KATHMANDU, Feb 10: Tension continues to grip Siraha District Prison after police detained 16 inmates, including the prison leader, following the recovery of an illegal firearm from inside the facility.
According to Spokesperson of the District Police Office (DPO), Siraha, DSP Ramesh Bahadur Pal, inmates have been chanting slogans and protesting since Monday, demanding that leader Indrajit Yadav be brought back to the prison.
The unrest erupted after a special search operation carried out around 11 AM on Monday, acting on a tip-off, led to the seizure of a homemade pistol, two rounds of bullets and Rs 120,000 in cash from Yadav’s room. Yadav and 15 other inmates were subsequently taken into custody and are being held at the DPO.
21 inmates released from Siraha jail
In protest, some inmates climbed onto the prison roof and staged demonstrations, further escalating tensions.
Around 150 security personnel have been deployed in and around the prison amid heightened security concerns. During monitoring by the District Security Committee, authorities also confiscated weapons, ammunition, cash, and prohibited items such as cigarettes and tobacco.
Chief District Officer, Siraha, Surendra Paudel said the operation was launched based on special information regarding the alleged trade of alcohol and drugs, illegal use of mobile phones, and forced extortion in the name of donations inside the prison.
The detained inmates are reportedly facing serious criminal charges, including murder, robbery, abduction, attempted murder and drug-related offenses. They were taken out of the prison with their hands tied and eyes blindfolded.
Authorities said further investigation is underway and security has been tightened. The prison, built to accommodate 150 inmates, is currently housing 436 prisoners.
