Durga Prasain Taken Into Custody Just Days Ahead of Planned Protest

Police on Monday night arrested Durga Prasain, a figure who has courted controversy repeatedly in recent years. Prasain, the Executive Director of the Jhapa-based B & C Medical College, was taken into custody by a Nepal Police team from his residence in Bhaktapur.

Known for his provocative speeches, Prasain was detained just days before his planned nationwide protests. He had recently issued inflammatory remarks targeting interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal, Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah, and Gen Z activist Sudan Gurung.

Beyond the medical education sector, Prasain has involved himself in contentious campaigns such as those advocating the “protection of the nation, nationalism, culture, and religion,” as well as efforts to “liberate debtors” from repaying bank loans.

Prasain first came to prominence due to his close association with political leaders including CPN-UML’s KP Sharma Oli and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. A widely circulated photo of the trio enjoying a lavish lunch — featuring the Jumli Marshi red rice — at Prasain’s residence drew significant public attention at the time. Their relationship, however, has deteriorated over the years.

He also remained in the public eye due to Dr Govinda KC’s repeated hunger strikes against government attempts to grant his medical college affiliation to run an MBBS programme. Prasain further attracted criticism allegedly calling and harassing senior bank officials.

Once aligned with republican leaders like Oli and Dahal, Prasain later allied himself with royalists and right-wing groups, purportedly to bolster support for his contentious initiatives.

In April this year, he was arrested in Jhapa for his alleged involvement in a violent protest in Tinkune, Kathmandu, on March 28, in which two persons, including a TV journalist, were killed. He was charged with crimes against the state and involvement in organized crime related to pro-monarchist demonstrations. Earlier, on September 22, 2024, he had been arrested for alleged cybercrime and was released on bail on October 1, 2024.