Indian drug smuggler who escaped Nepal prison during Gen Z protests arrested in Ahmedabad

Indian drug smuggler Dharmesh Chunara, who escaped from a Nepalese prison during last year’s violent Gen Z protests, was arrested on Tuesday in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Chunara was found hiding at his mother-in-law’s house in the Kagadapith area after months of tracking by the Gujarat Crime Branch.

Chunara had been caught at Kathmandu airport in 2025 while attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of hybrid ganja from Bangkok, valued at nearly Rs 13 crore. He was subsequently imprisoned in Bhadra Jail under Nepal’s narcotics laws. During the Gen Z protests, which erupted over a social media ban and escalated into a broader anti-corruption movement, local youths stormed the jail, allowing Chunara and several other inmates to escape.

The Gen Z unrest in Nepal led to over 75 deaths and the resignation of then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Following the jailbreak, Nepalese authorities shared details of escaped Indian nationals with New Delhi, prompting intelligence agencies to track Chunara’s movements across India.

Using technical analysis and local intelligence, Gujarat police traced Chunara to Ahmedabad. Officials stated that Chunara’s earlier drug consignments into India and possible connections with a larger cross-border smuggling network are under active investigation. Another accused from Surat linked to the same case remains absconding.

Chunara will now be handed over to central agencies, which will begin formal extradition procedures to return him to Nepal to face trial. Police are also probing whether he had resumed illegal activities while in hiding.