By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Oct. 2: As the festivals of Dashain and Tihar are approaching, the Metropolitan Police Office, Ranipokhari has started tightening security across the valley targeting the crowded places.
Despite more new COVID-19 cases being detected every day, places across the valley have started drawing crowds requiring a need of proper surveillance.
“Our officers are determined in providing security to the people every day. Meanwhile, the officers have been directed to increase surveillance in the busiest places to ensure safety to the public,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and spokesperson at the Metropolitan Police Office Sushil Kumar Yadav.
The office has also deployed its officers under Safety Pin Campaign, which is launched to minimise the incidents of sexual abuse against women in public vehicles and in busy commercial and financial places to increase surveillance.
According to the Metropolitan Police Office, with the public vehicles not crowded due to the rule of seat limitation amidst COVID-19, the officers under Safety Pin Campaign have been deployed in busy places.
Those officers are deployed in plain cloth in order to control any form of violence against women in public places alongside preventing theft, cheating and pickpocketing, among others.
Chief at the Metropolitan Police Office Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Bishwaraj Pokharel had also directed the officers on Tuesday to ensure safety to the public by preventing criminal activities.
Similarly, Pokharel has also directed the officers at Metropolitan Crime Division to increase their surveillance in the valley as festival season has commenced.
“Commercial places have reopened after the lockdown ended. There are high chances of criminal activities occurring in such places with festival season just days away. We must prevent and minimize such incidents,” said Pokharel while instructing the officers during his visit to the division on Wednesday.
According to the senior officers at the Metropolitan Police Office, a concrete policy to increase security of the valley will also be implemented soon.
“Chief District Officers along with local representatives and senior officers from Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police will come up with more effective security procedures across the valley during Dashain and Tihar soon,” said SSP Yadav.
A Police Mobile Van under a woman Police Inspector will also be patrolling the Valley 24/7 as the cases of sexual and gender-based violence are increasing against women and children.