Mass Prison Break Sparks Chaos in Madhesh

In a major security incident, 983 inmates escaped from three prisons in Nepal’s Madhesh region amid protests, arson, and vandalism. The jailbreaks occurred in Rajbiraj (Saptari), Jaleshwar (Mahottari), and Gaur (Rautahat).

At Rajbiraj Prison, 205 inmates set fires inside the facility around 1 PM to attempt an escape. Authorities recaptured 31, while the rest may have fled toward India, CDO Tuwaraj Pokhrel said.

In Jaleshwar Prison, 576 inmates escaped on Tuesday evening during protests linked to the Madhesh movement, coinciding with the release of six inmates accused in the killing of armed police officer Thaman Bik.

From Gaur Prison, 233 inmates fled. Out of 291 prisoners, only 24 remained after inmates vandalized the facility and broke through security.

At Malangwa Prison (Sarlahi), inmates attempted an escape in the morning by setting fires during protests, but security forces controlled the situation. The unrest involved supporters of controversial religious leader Ram Bahadur Bamjan, who tried to free him from custody. Authorities used tear gas and warning shots to maintain order.

Tensions were also reported in Birgunj Prison, where the Nepali Army fired shots to prevent escapes. The army is now deployed in many prisons across the country to ensure security.

Siraha Prison remains calm. Authorities warn that, since many Madhesh prisons are near the Indian border, some fugitives may have crossed into India. The search for escaped inmates is ongoing amid rising fear and insecurity in society.