Durga Prasai Arrested Again in Birgunj Ahead of Campaign Event

Controversial medical entrepreneur and coordinator of the “Nation, Nationality, Religion-Culture and Citizen Protection Mega Campaign Nepal,” Durga Prasai, has once again been taken into police custody. He was detained from Birgunj in Parsa district on Monday evening, adding another chapter to his increasingly confrontational relationship with the state.

Police officials confirmed that Prasai was arrested from Hotel Diyalo in Birgunj, where he had arrived ahead of a scheduled campaign program planned for Tuesday. Before his arrest, he had spoken to journalists at Simara Airport and made critical remarks targeting the current government as well as leaders of several political parties.

Although authorities have acknowledged that Prasai is in custody, police have not publicly clarified the legal grounds behind the detention. Internal police sources, however, indicated that the arrest was carried out following instructions “from above,” further fueling political speculation around the move.

Fresh detention adds to ongoing controversies

Prasai has remained at the center of repeated political controversy over the past several months due to his public speeches, protest activities and aggressive criticism of mainstream political forces. His campaign has attempted to position itself as an anti-establishment movement, often using nationalist and religious rhetoric to mobilize support.

He has previously been arrested and released multiple times, with many of those incidents tied to political demonstrations and statements viewed by authorities as provocative or destabilizing. Each detention has further intensified debate over whether the state is responding to genuine security concerns or attempting to suppress dissenting political voices.

Questions emerge over transparency of arrest

The absence of an official explanation behind Monday’s arrest has already raised fresh questions regarding transparency and due process. While police have confirmed that preparations are underway to bring Prasai to Kathmandu, authorities have yet to disclose whether any formal charges have been filed against him.

The phrase “order from above,” cited by police sources, has also drawn attention because it hints at possible political direction behind the operation. In Nepal’s polarized political climate, such language often triggers wider public debate about institutional independence and the use of law enforcement in politically sensitive cases.

Prasai remains one of the country’s most divisive public figures — admired by some as an outspoken anti-system campaigner and criticized by others for inflammatory rhetoric and controversial mobilization tactics. His latest arrest is likely to deepen both political reactions and public scrutiny in the coming days.