At least 134 inmates who broke out of the regional prison in Bhimphedi during the Gen Z protest remain at large as of Friday morning. Among them are 26 Indian nationals.

A total of 440 inmates had escaped after breaking the walls of blocks ‘A’ and ‘B’ at around 12:30am on September 9. Security personnel have so far rearrested 306 from various locations in Makawanpur district.

Of the 39 Indian nationals who had fled, 13 have returned to the prison, while 26 remain at large, said Kedar Sapkota, Nayab Subba (non-gazetted first-class officer) at the Bhimphedi prison. He said the search operation is ongoing.

Inmates had broken three gates and torn down the western wall before fleeing, with 260 escaping from block ‘A’ and 180 from block ‘B’.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Pushkar Bogati, spokesperson for the District Police Office, Makawanpur, said efforts to trace the remaining fugitives have been intensified. Most of those still absconding are facing drug and rape charges.

Police have also arrested 74 inmates who had escaped from prisons in Kathmandu, including the Central Jail and Nakkhu, as well as from Bharatpur, Kaski and Tanahun. They have been kept at the Bhimphedi prison.

Before the jailbreak, the prison housed 1,066 inmates. It currently holds 975 inmates, including 35 women and 44 foreign nationals.

As many as 72 boys had fled the juvenile correction home in ward 11 of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City.

Police have taken 67 back into custody, while five remain out of contact, said Pradeep Gautam, chief of the correction home. “They have neither reached home nor contacted us,” he said.

The correction home had housed 94 boys before the incident and currently holds 84.