Complaints filed against former Nepal PM Oli, Home Minister over Gen-Z protest deaths

Kathmandu, Oct 7 (IANS) Nepal Police on Tuesday registered a complaint filed by the families of those killed during the recent Gen-Z protest movement against former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.

The complaint was immediately forwarded to the High-Level Judicial Inquiry Commission formed to investigate the killings and destruction of property during the two days of Gen-Z protests on September 8 and 9, last month.

The complaints against the leaders were registered amid a pressure campaign launched by some Gen-Z leaders, who have been calling Oli and Lekhak "murderers", given that 19 people were killed in police firing during the protests. The demonstrations ultimately forced Oli to resign as PM, paving the way for the formation of a new apolitical government led by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki.

"Four family members of those killed during the Gen-Z movement filed complaints against Oli and Lekhak, accusing them of crimes against humanity and offences against the state," the Superintendent of Police Pawan Bhattarai, spokesperson for the District Police Office, Kathmandu, told IANS. "We immediately forwarded the complaints to the commission, as it was formed to investigate the incidents that occurred during the Gen-Z movement."

Earlier, police had refused to register complaints against former Prime Minister Oli and members of his cabinet, citing concerns that a police investigation could influence the commission's independent inquiry.

However, on Tuesday afternoon, the commission clarified that no government body is required to wait for its report to investigate or take action against those involved in criminal offences. It stated that its mandate includes receiving and analysing petitions concerning human and material losses during the Gen-Z movement and recommending necessary actions.

The government has been under pressure from some Gen-Z leaders to initiate a criminal investigation against Oli and Lekhak, accusing them of murdering youths during the protests. Since Monday, they have launched a social media campaign with the hashtags "Arrest KP Oli" and "Arrest Ramesh Lekhak".

In addition to the social media campaign, some Gen-Z leaders have also been lobbying for the removal of Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut and the chief of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Prem Rai. A group of them even reached the CIAA office, demanding Rai's resignation.

Their actions have become a major challenge for the new government, which was formed with a mandate to hold the next parliamentary elections on March 5, next year. Growing activities targetting former Prime Minister Oli have provoked reactions from the former ruling party.

Its student wing, the All Nepal National Free Students Union, on Tuesday visited the District Police Office in Kathmandu to register complaints against Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah and Gen-Z leader Sudan Gurung, accusing them of involvement in arson attacks and vandalism of government and private property.

"We did not register their complaint because it was not properly drafted," said Bhattarai.

A senior UML leader told IANS that some members of the party have suggested filing a writ petition in the Supreme Court demanding the dismissal of the current government led by Karki, questioning its constitutional validity. "However, the party has not collectively taken any decision on the matter," the leader said.

--IANS

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