Nepal's ex-PM Oli responds to letter from panel probing use of force during Gen Z protests

Kathmandu, Jan 4 (PTI) Nepal's ousted prime minister K P Sharma Oli on Sunday sent a formal reply to a letter from a probe commission seeking clarification over the 'excessive' use of force during the Gen Z movement, an official said.

The commission had sought a reply from the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) chair in seven days over the letter delivered at his residence earlier in the day.

The youth-led Gen Z protest on September 8 and 9 against corruption, nepotism, and a social media ban escalated into violence, leading to the ouster of Oli’s coalition government.

"The commission sent a letter to Oli's current residence at Gundu of Bhaktapur district, 11 km East of Kathmandu, and got a written response from him on the same day," Bigyan Raj Sharma, spokesperson of the commission, told PTI.

However, no details about the reply filed by Oli have been shared by the spokesperson.

Oli earlier said he would not give any clarification to the probe commission, as he didn't consider it to be legitimate.

The three-member inquiry commission, led by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki, was formed by the interim government of Prime Minister Sushila Karki, to probe allegations of use of excessive force and rights violations during the youth-led protests.

A total of 77 people lost their lives during the two-day Gen Z protests. Of them, 22 were killed on the first day of the protests.

The commission completed recording the statement of former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak about the same incident last week.

Gen Z protesters were demanding action against those involved in the excessive use of force, including Oli and Lekhak. PTI SBP SKS GRS SKS GRS GRS