Where is KP Sharma Oli? As Nepal remains on edge, speculations swirl over Dubai escape, going underground

As Nepal woke up to plumes of smoke and major government institutions in shambles in the aftermath of Tuesday’s violence, the big question on everyone’s mind is: where is KP Sharma Oli? The former Prime Minister, who stepped down in the face of unprecedented protests and mob violence, has not appeared in public since yesterday.

Initially, there were reports from Kathmandu that the Nepal Army had brought Oli to its headquarters for safety reasons. Since then, there has been no official update on his whereabouts.

Some unconfirmed reports suggested that Oli may have fled to Dubai under the pretext of medical treatment, while others claim he has gone underground. Some wild speculations even suggested he might be taking shelter in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw. However, these remain only rumours, with no confirmation from the Nepal Army.

Hours before Oli stepped down, many ministers of Oli's 25-member Cabinet had resigned amid the mounting protests. From Prithvi Subba Gurung to Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, Agriculture Minister Ramnath Adhikari, Health Minister Pradeep Paudel, and Youth and Sports Minister Teju Lal Chaudhary, reports of government officials announcing resignations kept trickling in from Kathmandu as protests raged on the streets, with angry mobs torching Parliament and other major government buildings.