Several inmates who escaped in last month’s jailbreaks across the country have committed new crimes. Police and officials have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual or suspicious activity.

Santa Bahadur Tamang, aged 33, from Gagal in ward 12 of Panauti Municipality, Kavre, who escaped from the Lalitpur-based Nakhkhu Prison on September 9, killed his wife Jamuna Tamang, aged 32, following a domestic dispute one week later.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Meen Bahadur Ghale, the information officer at the District Police Office, Kavre, Santa Bahadur murdered his wife suspecting an extramarital affair.

On the night of September 18, he beat her to death, buried her in a field near their home, and later turned himself in at Nakhkhu Prison. Santa Bahadur had been serving his sentence for rape.

Two inmates who escaped from Jaleshwar Prison in Mahottari were soon caught committing new crimes. Sanjay Mahato, 30, of ward 11 of Gaushala Municipality, who was in judicial custody for theft, was arrested from ward 11 of Balaba Municipality with a stolen motorcycle, mobile phone, and other items.

Similarly, Manjur Rain, who was jailed for robbery but escaped last month, was also rearrested with stolen property. Chief District Officer of Mahottari Narayan Prasad Risal said the repeated involvement of absconding prisoners in criminal activity has heightened security concerns in the district. He called upon local residents to be watchful and report suspicious activities immediately.

One of the inmates who escaped from the Tulasipur Prison in Dang soon attempted a murder. Khim Bahadur BK, 22, from Tulasipur, attempted to kill Gautam Sarki, 53, with a khukuri on September 28. Inspector Surya Rana of the Tulasipur Police informed that BK was rearrested last week from his hiding in ward 2 of Dangisharan Rural Municipality in the district. A total of 253 prisoners escaped from the Tulasipur prison. Of them, 78 remain at large, according to prison chief Gir Bahadur Sejuwal. Most escapees are convicted or accused in cases of homicide, rape, or drug trafficking.

700 still at large in Jhumka Prison

On September 9, a total of 1,575 inmates escaped from the Jhumka Prison in Sunsari during the Gen Z protests. So far, 700 remain at large. Jailer Subas Lamichhane said that about 450 inmates first escaped from Block B, and others quickly joined them. After the escape, authorities urged fugitives to return. Some were recaptured with the help of the security forces.

Currently, the prison houses 1,118 inmates. Most of the fugitives still missing are serving sentences for rape and other serious crimes. Although the prison administration called on them to return by October 6, most remain unaccounted for. Lamichhane said a few inmates returned after the Dashain festival. He added that those who remain at large are among the most dangerous offenders. Jhumka prison, with a capacity of 1,600, is one of the largest detention facilities in the country.

156 escapees still on the run from Chitwan’s Bharatpur Prison

Chitwan’s Bharatpur Jail branch saw 743 including male and female inmates and two dependent children flee. Of these, 575 (538 men and 37 women, including the two children) have returned. Another six male and two female inmates are confirmed to be in other prisons. Nonetheless, 156 inmates remain missing.

Information Officer Chetnath Dhungana noted that the prison housed a large number of inmates involved in wildlife crimes. For example, 46 were detained for rhino poaching or smuggling in rhino parts. Of these, 29 have returned, two convicts were recaptured, and one detainee was arrested from neighbouring Tanahun district. Fourteen inmates linked to rhino cases are still out of contact.

Nearly 300 from Jaleshwar Prison still at large

Out of the 576 inmates who escaped from Jaleshwar Prison in Mahottari, only 278 have returned. Twelve of those were released after completing their sentences. The remaining 298 are still unaccounted for. Prison official Rabin Chandra Thakur said that many of those still at large were convicted for serious crimes including abduction, murder, robbery, and rape.

452 at large in Sudurpashchim. 60 serious offenders missing from Kailali

In Sudurpashchim Province, 666 inmates escaped by taking advantage of the nationwide anti-corruption protests. As per the latest count, 316 have returned, leaving 452 still at large. Kailali alone accounts for over 60 fugitives convicted in big crimes. Gyanendra Ojha, acting jailor in the district, reported that among the escapees, 59 face charges of murder, attempted murder, weapons offences, suicide abetment, and other violent crimes. And 82 escapees are rape convicts.

Gen Z protests and mass jailbreaks

These escapes occurred amid the Gen Z protests on September 8. On the very first day, 17 youths including some in college uniforms were shot dead by police outside the federal parliament in Kathmandu. The next day, the unrest spiralled out of control as thousands of protesters set fire to parliament, Supreme Court, Singha Durbar, and many police stations in Kathmandu. Government offices and properties of politicians close to the government were attacked and vandalised across the country. In the chaos, police abandoned their posts, allowing prisoners to flee from many prisons nationwide. More than 15,000 inmates escaped from over 25 prisons and detention centres. Over 5,000 escapees are still at large.

People feel insecure as a huge number of the prison escapees are at large and they started involving in serious crimes in the communities again. Government authorities are equally serious about recapturing the fugitives.

“Security threats have increased sharply with fugitives again engaging in criminal activities. We call upon the public to stay alert and report any suspicious movements immediately,” said Narayan Prasad Risal, chief district officer in Mahottari.

(Arjun Subedi in Sunsari, Santosh Singh in Mahottari, Ramesh Kumar Paudel in Chitwan, Arjun Shah in Dhangadhi, Jyoti Shrestha in Kavre and Durgalal KC in Dang reported this story)