The government has given an 'ultimatum' to the escaped prisoners to return to prison. The government is conducting a special campaign to return the escaped prisoners to prison after a large number of prisoners serving prison sentences for various crimes escaped, posing an added security challenge to the society.
What you should know
About 5,000 prisoners are still at large among those who escaped from various prisons and correctional facilities across the country during the 'Gen-G' protests. After the protests erupted, 13,585 prisoners, including 964 juveniles, escaped from 28 different prisons and 14,549 prisoners, including 964 juveniles, escaped from nine juvenile correctional facilities.
Of these, a total of 9,582 prisoners, including nine prisoners and 582 juveniles, have returned to prison so far. According to Chomeendra Neupane, Director of the Prison Management Department, a total of 4,982 prisoners, including 4,596 prisoners and 386 juveniles, are still absconding.
The government has given an 'ultimatum' to the absconding prisoners to return to prison. As a security threat to society has increased due to the large number of prisoners serving prison sentences for various offenses absconding, the government is conducting a special campaign to return the absconding prisoners to prison. Under the campaign, security personnel are taking control of the absconding prisoners and handing them over to the concerned prisons.
The ministry had also formed a task force for the search and arrest of absconding prisoners under the coordination of the Assistant Chief District Officer of the concerned district, with representatives from security and other agencies as members, to search, control and arrest the prisoners outside the prison and bring them back to prison as soon as possible.
Taking advantage of the protests, 13,585 prisoners escaped from prisons in Sunsari's Jhumka, Solukhumbu, Saptari, Mahottari, Rautahat, Sindhuli, Kathmandu's Nakkhu, Dillibazaar, Jagannathdeval, Makawanpur, Rasuwa, Chitwan, Tanahun, Kaski, Parbat, Myagdi, Kapilvastu, Dang Tulsipur, Naubasta Banke, Rukum West, Nawalparasi, Jumla, Bajhang, Kailali, Darchula, Baitadi, Dadeldhura and Kanchanpur. Similarly, 964 juvenile prisoners escaped from Morang, Parsa, Bhaktapur, Makawanpur, Kaski, Rupandehi, Jayandu, Naubasta and Doti juvenile correctional homes.
Three prisoners were shot dead in Ramechhap and two each in Dhading and Saptari while trying to escape by breaking the security cordon. Similarly, five juvenile prisoners died in a clash at the Naubasta Juvenile Correctional Home and one at the Doti Juvenile Correctional Home. Prison offices have been informing escaped prisoners to return to prison immediately. The department has stated that prisoners who escape ignoring the government's notice will be taken action as per the prevailing law.
There are 30,641 prisoners and juvenile prisoners serving sentences for various offenses in 75 prisons and juvenile correctional homes in 72 districts across the country.
