Chitwan, Sept. 17 -- A week after 742 inmates walked out of Bharatpur prison in Chitwan, 446 have voluntarily returned following a public notice from the prison administration.

The mass exit occurred last Wednesday, taking advantage of the Gen Z protests, which also saw unrest in several other prisons across the country. The administration had immediately issued a notice urging inmates to return, assuring them of no further punishment if they complied. Those who fail to come back, however, have been warned of legal consequences.

"By yesterday [Tuesday], 446 inmates returned," said Rabindra Dhungana, chief of Bharatpur prison. "Most of them came back voluntarily, which is encouraging. We are monitoring the others closely."

Chitwan's Sup...