Kathmandu: Over 7,700 inmates, who escaped from various prisons across Nepal during the Gen Z protests, have either returned or been brought back to their respective detention centres, authorities said on Sunday.

During the Gen Z protests on September 8 and 9, a total of 14,558 prisoners had escaped the detention centres across the country, according to officials at the Prison Management Department.

Ten prisoners have died during the clash with the security forces, while 7, 735 inmates have returned to their respective prisons.

Some prisoners have returned voluntarily, while others were arrested by the security forces.

However, 6,813 prisoners are still absconding from different jails.

The government has launched a hunt to arrest those prisoners.