Drug Smuggler Who Escaped Nepal Jail During Protests Arrested in Gujarat

Indian authorities have arrested an international narcotics smuggler who escaped custody in Nepal during last year’s violent unrest, marking the end of a prolonged cross-border search. The suspect, Dharmesh Rasiklal Chunara, was detained by the Ahmedabad Special Operations Group (SOG) Crime Branch in Gujarat.

Chunara had been evading authorities since September 2025, when large-scale Gen-Z-led protests in Nepal spiraled into violence. During the chaos, demonstrators stormed Kathmandu’s Bhadra Jail, damaging the facility and enabling multiple inmates to flee, including the Indian national.

The case dates back to July 2024, when Chunara was arrested at Kathmandu airport after arriving from Bangkok on flight TG-319. Security officials seized 13 kilograms of high-grade hybrid cannabis from his possession, a haul valued at approximately Rs 13 crore. He was subsequently jailed under Nepal’s narcotics laws.

After his escape, Nepalese authorities shared a list of absconding Indian inmates with India’s security agencies. The information was circulated nationwide, prompting coordination between central and state-level law enforcement. According to officials, the lack of complete address details complicated the search, requiring investigators to rely on technical surveillance and human intelligence.

The pursuit concluded in Ahmedabad, where the SOG intercepted Chunara. During questioning, he admitted exploiting the prison riot to flee and said he crossed back into India through the Sonauli border before going into hiding.

The Ahmedabad SOG Crime Branch has taken Chunara into custody and begun formal legal procedures linked to his re-arrest, while coordination with Nepalese authorities is expected to follow.