A government investigation commission has recommended criminal investigations against former prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli and several senior officials over the deadly events linked to the Gen Z protests last year.
The commission, formed to investigate the incidents of September 8 and 9, concluded that political and security leadership at the time should be held accountable for the violence and loss of life. The protests and the subsequent unrest resulted in the deaths of 76 people across the country.
In its report submitted to Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Sunday, the panel recommended further investigation under criminal law against former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, former Inspector General of Police Chandra Kubera Khapung and the then chief district officer of Kathmandu, Chhavi Lal Rijal, among others. The report examines the role of top political and security officials in the government crackdown during the Gen Z protests.
The three-member commission, led by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki, was formed in October with a three-month mandate that was extended three times before the final report was completed. Officials said the report documents extensive evidence gathered during the investigation and is intended to support future criminal enquiries.
The commission examined two separate phases of unrest. The first focused on the government response to protests on September 8, when demonstrations against corruption and restrictions on social media escalated in Kathmandu. The second examined widespread violence and arson the following day that targeted public buildings, businesses and private property.
Investigators also looked into possible organised planning behind the violence and allegations of external influence, though conclusive evidence of a coordinated plot was not established.
The report is lengthy, running hundreds of pages with thousands of pages of annexed documents, including testimonies from more than 200 people. The government will now decide whether to release the full report or only a summary.