Valley Police reviewing profile of gangsters

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 8: The police have intensified their surveillance of gangsters operating in the Kathmandu Valley. 

According to the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, Ranipokhari, they have begun reviewing the profiles of both old and new gangsters.

To control criminal activities, the authorities are reassessing the profiles of individuals listed in the old records, said Additional Inspector General (AIG) Tek Bahadur Tamang, who is also chief of the Valley Police Office. 

 Tamang said, “We are profiling the name lists of gangsters and will go into operation soon."

After profiling, action will be taken against those involved in criminal activities, Tamang said. 

AIG Tamang also said that the list of criminals involved in violent acts, including those wielding swords, firing weapons and forcibly obtaining signatures on cheques, will be updated.

On Wednesday, the Valley Crime Investigation Office arrested seven individuals on charges of gang-related activities. The arrests followed a viral Tiktok video showing individuals cutting a cake with swords and khukuris, prompting police action.

AIG Tamang said that such actions instilled fear among the public. "After the cake was cut with a sword, fear among the public increased, so we took them into custody," he said. The police also suspect their involvement in illegal financial dealings.

The arrested gangsters who were involved in cutting a cake with a sword were identified as Gopal Moktan, Roman Magar, Suman Parajuli, Manohar Thapa Magar, Ronish Baramu, Roshan Tamang and Gun Bahadur Gurung.

According to SSP Ramesh Basnet of the Valley Crime Investigation Office, the accused had been engaging in extortion while creating terror through social media stunts.

AIG Tamang warned that the feud between criminal gangs involved in money lending and settling disputes at the grassroots level had also given rise to insecurity in the community and people.

“Some gangsters are now remote-controlling their henchmen from elsewhere in the country and abroad. We have also launched an investigation to establish their link with a section of media persons, lawyers, police and political leaders, among others,” he said, adding police would crack down on gangsters aggressively.

An old police profile list of gangsters prepared by the Kathmandu Police Range, Bhadrakali, Kathmandu, had a list of over 131 hooligans and gangsters with substantial criminal records. Those listed gangsters are under round-the-clock surveillance as they are likely to perpetrate crimes in Kathmandu Valley, the police said.

Earlier, they had faced legal action for unleashing terror through their direct and indirect involvement in gang fights and extortion.

Officials said security personnel had intensified vigilance against hooligans, both old and emerging ones, to maintain law and order. During a police encounter in August 2014, notorious Don Dinesh Adhikari alias Chari was killed and another don, Kumar Ghainte was killed in August 2015. After the death of two gangsters, police have concluded that many others are emerging to take their place and expand their stronghold in the Valley.

Some notorious gangsters like Ramesh Bahun and Abhishek Giri and even former independent lawmaker Rajeev Gurung aka ‘Deepak Manage’ are cooling their heels in jail after being convicted of drug smuggling, extortion, kidnapping and attempt to murder cases.

Categorisation of gangsters 

According to the police record, there are nearly 189 hooligans in the Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts. Of them, 132 are active in Kathmandu alone, 33 in Lalitpur and 24 in Bhaktapur.

Former AIG Prabindra Dhanuk said, hooligans are also considered a major security threat to the community. "It’s not that gangsterism poses no security threat," said Dhanuk. Force can be used at any time against those engaging in gangster activities, he claimed. 

In Kathmandu district, out of 132 active gangsters, 15 are classified under Category ‘A,’ 32 under Category ‘B,’ and 47 under Category ‘C.’ The category of 15 gangsters has not been disclosed. The areas most affected by gangster dominance in Kathmandu are Bouddha, Gaushala, Maharajgunj, Baneshwor, Thamel, New Road, Balaju, Kamalpokhari, and Durbar Marg.

In Lalitpur, there is only one gangster in Category ‘A.’ According to sources from the Lalitpur Police Range, 10 gangsters fall under Category ‘B,’ while the classification of 22 others remains undisclosed. There are 33 active gangsters in Lalitpur. In Bhaktapur, 24 gangsters are reportedly active, but their classifications are unknown. 

The police have categorised Dawa Lama, Bishnu Lama, Umesh Lama, and Kaji Sherpa as Category ‘A’ gangsters. They are active in the Bouddha, Gaushala, Maharajgunj and Baneshwor areas.  Similarly, Surya Lama, Khagendra Kumar Rai, Buddha Lama, Bikas Lama and Bikas Rai have been placed in Category ‘B.’ They are involved in local gangster activities, disputes, and extortion.

According to police sources, the gangster list includes names such as Mohan Lama, Dinesh Rai, Dilu Lama, Sanjaya Lama (Jhinge) now in prison under drug charge, Prakash Gole, Bikas Gole, Kaji Sherpa, Rabi Thing, Binod Ghising, Lambu Nima Sherpa, Nima Lama, Umesh Lama, and Angnima Lama.

Likewise, gangsters such as Bhoje Lama, Lamta Mukhiya, Dinesh Lama (Bhale), Rembo Manange, and Kale Kumar are reportedly active in the Thamel, New Road, Balaju, Kamalpokhari and Durbar Marg areas. Meanwhile, gangsters like Samirman Singh Basnet (now in prison), Satyaman Lama (Bikesh), Tulsi Magar, and Chandra Bahadur Tamang are active in Swayambhu and its surrounding areas.

Similarly, the list of gangsters based in Lalitpur includes Meen Krishna Maharjan, Sanu Kanchha Moktan, Wang Lama, Raju Bogati, Bhola Khadka, Bikram Shrestha, Samir K.C., and Ram Lama. In Bhaktapur, gangsters such as Saroj Thapa, Anil Thapa, Suren Lama, Bam Bahadur Shrestha, and Ujwal Awal are reportedly active.