Police detained political analyst and Trimool Nepal Party chair Bharat Dahal in Belbari, Morang, on Sunday morning and took him to Kathmandu.

Superintendent of Police Kabit Katuwal at the District Police Office, Morang, said a warrant had been issued in Kathmandu for Dahal’s arrest. 

Dahal had travelled to eastern districts on September 18 for political discussions and was preparing to return to Kathmandu on Sunday after completing meetings. 

Police detained him from a tea shop in Salakpur, ward 8 of Sundarharaicha Municipality, according to people familiar with the incident.

Dahal’s colleagues described the arrest as a crackdown on his political views and his criticism of what he has called flaws in the country’s power and governance systems. They accused the state of misusing its institutions.

People associated with Dahal also said recent government actions had raised concerns that the state was moving towards fascism and condemned what they described as repression of citizens for expressing political views.

Police have not publicly disclosed the charge against Dahal or the legal grounds on which he was detained.