Nepal crisis: Airport reopens, curfew imposed till September 11; over 7,000 prisoners escape - key developments

The situation in Nepal remained relatively calm on Wednesday, following two days of youth-led “Gen Z” protests that turned violent after a security crackdown left at least 19 demonstrators — mostly students — dead.With Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his cabinet having resigned, and as law enforcement struggled to maintain control, the Nepal Army took charge of security on Tuesday night. The military appealed for public cooperation, urging citizens to refrain from destructive acts, and warned that all security mechanisms would be deployed if violence persisted.Here are the latest developments:Kathmandu airport reopensThe Civil Aviation Authority announced that Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal’s main gateway, has reopened, AFP reported.Domestic and international flights, suspended since Tuesday, “will resume today,” the authority said in a statement, without elaborating. The shutdown had left hundreds of international tourists, including Indians, stranded amid the deadly unrest.Nationwide curfew from ThursdayIn a statement, the Directorate of Public Relations and Information said prohibitory orders would remain in place until 5 pm, after which a nationwide curfew would come into effect from 6 am Thursday.

The army added that further decisions would depend on the evolving security situation.Inmates come out of prison; jail secured by armyThe military took control of Kathmandu’s Dillibazar Jail after a large group of inmates stepped out of the prison premises demanding release. The incident followed reports that police personnel, who had been guarding several detention facilities, withdrew from their posts — except at Police Headquarters — amid two days of violent unrest.Jail escapees nabbed at India-Nepal borderFive escapees were later apprehended at the India-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district. Officials said they were intercepted by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) during a border check and handed over to the local police for further investigation and legal action.Indian tourists return via West BengalAmid the unrest in Nepal, several Indian nationals crossed into India through the Panitanki border in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district.“The situation there is out of control,” Kohila, a tourist from Assam told news agency ANI, adding: “The strike will continue for 10–15 days… it feels good to be back.”27 arrested for looting, arsonSecurity forces arrested 27 people on charges of looting, arson and vandalism from different parts of Kathmandu.During the operations, authorities recovered ₹3.37 lakh in cash along with 31 weapons, magazines and bullets from individuals in the Chabahil, Bauddha and Gaushala areas.