REUTERS, Kathmandu

A Nepali panel set up to investigate the violence during anti-corruption protests in September last year has recommended that former prime minister K P Sharma Oli be prosecuted for “negligence” for failing to prevent dozens of deaths.

The report comes two days before rapper-turned politician Balendra Shah is sworn in as the new prime minister after winning a landslide in the parliamentary election following the protests.

The panel held Oli, 74, responsible for not taking any action to stop hours of firing that killed at least 19 Gen Z protesters on the first day of anti-corruption demonstrations that forced him to resign.

A total of 76 people were killed and 2,522 wounded during two days of unrest, the panel said in its report released late on Wednesday night. The government had earlier said 77 people had died.

“As the executive head ... Oli should be held responsible for anything good or bad,” the 970-page report said in Nepali.

The report also held Oli’s home minister Ramesh If

SEE PAGE 8 COL 1