Nepal is experiencing a profound crisis, marked by the deaths of five juvenile inmates and the escape of over 7,000 prisoners nationwide, amidst violent anti-government protests that led to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's resignation on Tuesday.

The five juvenile inmates were killed on Tuesday night during clashes with security forces at the Naubasta Correctional Home in Banke district. They died when police opened fire as detainees attempted to seize weapons from guards, also seriously injuring four others. From this facility, 76 of 176 juvenile detainees and 149 of 585 inmates managed to escape.

Across Nepal, more than 7,000 prisoners have fled various correctional facilities since Tuesday, including large-scale breakouts from Dillibazar (1,100), Nakkhu (1,200), Jhumpka (1,575), Chitwan (700), and Kaski (773) jails. In Sindhuligadhi, all 471 inmates, including women, escaped after setting fires inside the district jail. Similar incidents of escapes were reported in Nawalparasi West, Saptari, Parsa, and Jumla.

The unrest, driven by "Gen Z" protesters, has seen government buildings torched and top leaders' homes set on fire, triggering a law-and-order crisis. The Nepal Army has responded by imposing nationwide restrictive orders and curfews. Authorities fear reprisals from the many violent criminals now at large, with victims reportedly fleeing their homes. Social media videos have depicted inmates smashing windows and breaking through walls as fires raged inside prison compounds.