Nepal ex-PM Koirala, others freed

Exactly two months after he was placed under house-arrest in the wake of the royal coup, former Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala was freed along with over 250 activists on Friday. The step was welcomed by India as one that would pave the way for reconciliation between constitutional forces.

Soon after 82-year-old Koirala, the president of the Nepali congress (NC) was set free, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shanker Mukherjee met him at his residence in Maharajgunj, NC deputy general secretary Govinda Raj Joshi said. He added that security personnel were withdrawn from Koirala’s residence.

Besides Koirala, 257 other who were detained following the royal takeover, were released, officials said.

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Among those freed were 83 youth activists and student leaders mainly from the NC and Nepali Congress (Democratic), sources in the Kathmandu district police office said. Kishor S. Rathore, president of the Nepal Students Union—affiliated to NC-Democratic—was also among those freed.

India welcomed Koirala’s release and hoped that reconciliation between constitutional forces would begin soon. —PTI