By Keshav Raj Poudel, Kathmandu, Oct. 30: A total of 43 people lost their lives in road accidents across Nepal in the five days from Phulpati to Ekadashi of the Dashain festival.

According to Kuber Kathayat, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and spokesperson of the Nepal Police, 43 people lost their lives while 529 sustained injuries in a total of 334 road accidents during the period.

Four cases of rape, 11 murder cases and 16 incidents of theft were recorded in the same period.

According to the Nepal Police spokesperson, the assessment of crime and incidents was conducted on the basis of the five public holidays of Dashain -from Fulpati to Ekadashi -this year unlike in the previous years which used to be of 15 days starting from Ghastapana to Purnima.

Comparative analysis of the incidents of the period of this year vis-à-vis the previous years during Dashain would be made public within a few days, according to SSP Kathayat.

The police had implemented special security plan to prevent the criminal activities occurring during the Dashain festival. The security was tightened all over the country as well.

Though there was less traffic pressure this year than the previous years, nevertheless, 43 were killed in accidents during the Dashain times.

As many as 48,830 police officials have been deployed across the country by the Nepal Police to reduce and prevent the probable incidents during the festival.

As many as 7,579 police officials have been mobilized in the Kathmandu Valley alone, where, the police in plain clothes are also mobilised.

A special plan is implemented in Kathmandu to control theft, looting and hooliganism, which is still ongoing.

According to Shusil Kumar Yadav, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), spokesperson of the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police, there have been no incidents of heinous crime in the Kathmandu Valley, where, some people were arrested for burglary, theft and drugs.

“This year there have been no occurrence of the heinous crimes, whereas, some minor theft and burglary in homes and rented places were observed in the morning time,” said SSP Yadav.

Similarly, more than 3,000 police officials including those in plain clothes were deployed in the Capital targeting the Dashain festival.

Police has also deployed Central Response Van (CRV), Quick Response Team (QRT) and bicycles for security.

SSP Yadav said there was no such problem this year as many people celebrated the festival indoors because of COVID-19 pandemic.

The incidents of quarreling and theft were negligible this Dashain, pointed Yadav.

He clarified that 2 million to 3 million people used to go to home district from Kathmandu in the past years, but this year the number was only around 1 million, because of which theft and robbery incidents were reduced by a large number this year.