(MENAFN) The death toll from ongoing violent protests in Nepal has climbed to 31, according to local media reports on Thursday, as talks intensify to establish an interim government in the wake of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's ouster.

Citing the Forensic Medicine Department at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, officials confirmed that 25 victims have been preliminarily identified, with six others — including one woman — still unnamed, media reported.

In a separate incident Thursday morning, Nepalese army personnel shot and killed two prisoners and injured over a dozen others during an attempted jailbreak in the Ramechhap district of Bagmati province. The inmates reportedly broke through multiple internal locks and tried to breach the main gate before being stopped by gunfire.

The prison, which houses more than 300 inmates, remained secure following the attempted breakout, police confirmed, adding that "no inmates could escape."

The incident adds to a growing number of jailbreaks across the country. Authorities say 15,000 prisoners have escaped in recent days amid nationwide unrest.

The Nepalese Army has assumed full control of national security after youth-led “Generation Z” protests culminated in the resignation of Oli.

As political leaders scramble to form an interim administration, deliberations are ongoing over potential leadership. Protesters have overwhelmingly backed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki in an online poll, positioning her as a front-runner to head the transitional government.

Another faction has thrown support behind Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, proposing him as a candidate for interim leadership.

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