New Delhi: Former Nepal prime minister and Nepal Communist Party (UML) chief K P Sharma Oli was admitted to hospital on Sunday, a day after his arrest in a case linked to the alleged suppression of the September Gen Z protests.
Oli was hospitalised after he complained of palpitations and was admitted to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital.
In a statement the hospital wrote: “Former Prime Minister and Chairman of Nepal Communist Party (UML) KP Sharma Oli was admitted to TU Teaching Hospital with complaints of palpitations.”
Oli suffering from multiple comorbidities
The statement added that Oli is a post-renal transplant patient and is suffering from multiple comorbidities, including hydronephrosis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypothyroidism, atrial fibrillation (under treatment), and cholelithiasis. He is under observation.
Earlier on Saturday, Oli was taken into custody from his residence in Gundu, Bhaktapur, following a formal complaint filed by the Nepal home ministry. Authorities said the move was based on recommendations of a commission led by former Special Court judge Gauri Bahadur Karki, which called for investigation and issuance of arrest warrants.
The commission also recommended legal action against several officials, including then home secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi, armed police force chief Raju Aryal, former national investigation department head Hutaraj Thapa, and then Kathmandu chief district officer Chhabi Rijal.
Protests erupt in Kathmandu over Oli arrest
It termed the violent crackdown on youth protests as criminal negligence, noting that authorities had failed to act on prior intelligence warnings. A total of 77 people were killed during the protests, while property worth billions was destroyed.
The arrests came a day after rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah was sworn in as Nepal’s new Prime Minister.
Shah, 35, is Nepal’s youngest Prime Minister and the first from the Madhesi community to hold the post.
Meanwhile, protests erupt in capital Kathmandu by supporters of UML. They demanded immediate release of Oli. According to reports, one person suffered injuries in the clashes between demonstrators and policemen. Nine people have been arrested by the cops so far.