Nepal unrest: Over 13,000 inmates escape, 2 shot dead

Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Nepal, more than 13,500 prisoners have escaped from correctional facilities across the country.

The mass jailbreaks come as violent anti-government protests continue to roil the Himalayan nation.

In one of the most serious incidents, two inmates were shot dead and 12 others injured after a clash erupted inside Ramechhap District Jail, prompting army personnel to open fire.

Authorities said the shooting was in response to an attempted mass escape and rising tensions within the facility.

According to the Nepalese Army, 192 escaped prisoners have so far been recaptured, with the majority caught in the southeastern city of Rajbiraj. The security forces have also recovered approximately 100 stolen firearms believed to have been taken during the prison breakouts.

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) reported that at least 60 Nepali escapees were intercepted while trying to cross the border into Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. All of them have been handed back to Nepalese authorities.

Nepal is grappling with its worst political unrest in decades, and the widespread prison escapes have added a new layer of complexity to the crisis.

The army and police are working to restore order, but officials admit that tracking and detaining thousands of fugitives remains a major challenge.