Former Chief District Officer (CDO) of Kathmandu, Chhavi Rijal, has been arrested in connection with the investigation into the Gen-Z protests. A team from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office apprehended him from Subidhanagar, Tinkune.
Superintendent of Police Manohar Prasad Bhatt confirmed the arrest and said Rijal is being prepared for transfer to the District Police Range Kathmandu for further investigation.
A high-level probe commission formed to investigate the Gen-Z demonstrations had identified Rijal, who was serving as Kathmandu’s CDO during the protests on Bhadra 23 and 24, as responsible and recommended filing a case against him.
Rijal has faced strong criticism for allegedly ordering gunfire in Baneshwor that led to the deaths of teenagers. However, in his statement to the commission led by Gauri Bahadur Karki, he denied issuing any order to fire lethal weapons.
Following the government’s decision to implement the report of the Karki Commission, former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and then Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak had already been arrested earlier. They are currently under investigation with a five-day remand granted by the court.
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