Nepal police arrests Healthcare magnate Durga Prasai over violent pro-monarchy rally in Kathmandu

Nepal police has arrested controversial political activist and healthcare magnate Durga Prasai, ending a dramatic weeks-long manhunt that began after a violent pro-monarchy rally in the capital on March 28.

A single bench led by Judge Shishirraj Dhakal ordered the remand of Prasai and his associate Deepak Khadka, who were apprehended in Bhadrapur, Jhapa, and transported to Kathmandu earlier on April 11.

Prasai, once a Maoist supporter turned vocal royalist, was apprehended in Bhadrapur, Jhapa, near Nepal’s eastern border.

The two have been charged with crimes against the state and involvement in organized violence. Authorities allege they played key roles in orchestrating the March 28 demonstrations at Tinkune, which descended into chaos, leaving two people dead, government buildings vandalized, and private property destroyed.

The rise and reinvention of Prasai

Prasai’s political metamorphosis is as complex as it is controversial.

Born in Terhathum in 1971 and raised in Jhapa, Prasai's early life was marked by poverty, prompting him to leave school after the eighth grade. A failed livestock venture and mounting debt pushed him into politics, where he first flirted with the Nepali Congress before going underground with Maoist rebels during Nepal’s decade-long civil war.

He is known to have smuggled arms and fighters across eastern Nepal, becoming a vital logistical link during the insurgency. His ties to Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, known as ‘Prachanda’, were once so close that in 2017, he hosted a unification dinner for Prachanda and then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

In the years that followed, Prasai amassed wealth and influence through his ventures in private healthcare. He founded the B&C Medical College and the Eastern Cancer Hospital in Birtamod, investing an estimated NPR 6 billion.

But political fortune turned when his medical college became embroiled in regulatory battles, and his ambitions for parliamentary office were dashed. By 2022, he was expelled from the ruling UML party and began publicly championing the restoration of Nepal’s constitutional monarchy and its identity as a Hindu state—causes he once fought against.

A new ‘people’s commander’

Prasai quickly emerged as the face of a fragmented royalist movement. Last month, he was symbolically crowned the "people’s commander" by a coalition of pro-monarchy groups. His TikTok monologues and fiery Facebook posts stirred large crowds and ignited nationwide debate.

On March 28, his campaign culminated in a massive rally in Kathmandu. What began as a peaceful demonstration under the banner of “People’s Movement for Nation, Nationality, Religion and Culture” spiraled into violence. Eyewitnesses and video footage captured Prasai’s black SUV breaching police barricades, as clashes erupted between protesters and security forces.

In the aftermath, Prasai vanished. His vehicle was found abandoned in Jhapa, just 35 kilometers from the Indian border. Authorities believed he had crossed into India — until his arrest was confirmed late on April 10.

From hiding, he had continued to broadcast defiance. In a video recorded near a temple, he likened himself to a lion preparing to strike. “I stepped back not out of fear, but to prepare for the next move,” he said. In another video, he claimed snipers had been deployed to assassinate him, and accused Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal of ordering his death.

“This was no ordinary operation,” he declared. “I took shelter to save my life.”

Criminal charges and political tensions

Prasai’s arrest comes amid mounting legal troubles. In late 2024, police began probing his alleged ties to organized crime. He was accused of paying 500,000 Nepali rupees to criminal operatives to intimidate business rivals, invoking the name of jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Prasai has denied the charges, calling them politically motivated.

Despite the controversies, his popularity among disillusioned citizens has surged. In a country that has seen 14 governments in 17 years, plagued by inflation, youth emigration, and an overstretched public health system, Prasai’s populist messaging resonates with many.

But his rise has unsettled Nepal’s mainstream political elite. Prachanda warned in Parliament that the republic's hard-won democratic gains are “under coordinated attack.” PM Oli, once an ally, has distanced himself.

Dozens of Prasai’s supporters have been arrested. Sedition charges may also be on the horizon.

Uncertain future

Whether Prasai’s arrest will deflate the royalist momentum or embolden his supporters remains to be seen. What’s clear is that his transformation — from a Maoist backer to monarchist firebrand — has redefined Nepal’s political landscape, and his story is far from over.