Media Action Nepal condemns UML attack on journalists following arrest of KP Oli
KATHMANDU | March 28: Media Action Nepal denounces the grave act of harassing and assaulting journalists on duty today (March 28) in Lalitpur. Journalists covering the CPN-UML secretariat meeting in Chyasal, Lalitpur, were violently attacked by party cadres today. The reporters had gathered following the early morning arrest of the party’s chairperson, Khadga Prasad (K. P.) Sharma Oli, a former Prime Minister and the chief accused in the GenZ killings linked to the September 8, 2025 protests in Nepal.
Kantipur reporter Daya Dudraj, Kaushal Kaphle of Online Khabar, and Prasun Sangraula were harassed and assaulted while attempting to take photographs. Speaking with Media Action Nepal Daya Dudhraj stated, “They were setting a tyre on fire near the party office when we arrived in a group to report and photograph. They attacked us as soon as they saw we were close to their activities. They punched us multiple times. Kaushal was hit in the chest, while I was struck on the side of the ribs.” He added that they were attacked by party cadres who asked them, “Where were you and your camera when the country was burning?” According to him, the harassment and assault incident occurred around 12:30 PM.
“Assault on journalists is an unacceptable act,” said Laxman Datt Pant, Founding Chair of Media Action Nepal. The authorities should immediately investigate the incident, Pant added.
The authorities should immediately investigate the incident.
Following the arrest of Chair and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the UML called an emergency secretariat meeting in Chyasal on Saturday morning. Previously, party cadres chased away journalists who had come to cover the meeting, abusing and assaulting them.