Citizens hold police accountable, thanks to social media

KATHMANDU, JULY 4: A young man was brutally beaten by police along the bypass road of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Chitwan, on the night of December 29, 2024. 

In a video clip which went viral on social media only on April 24, 2025, a policeman was seen ruthlessly kicking a motorcycle-borne boy multiple times. The policeman kept kicking the boy even after he fell down after the first kick on his back. 

Later, through the formation of the probe committee by the Chitwan District Police, Assistant Sub-Inspector Buddhi Bahadur Gharti Bhujel was suspended from the service 

temporarily.

Similarly, another social media video went viral where four traffic policemen were seen beating a motorcycle-riding man on a road near Sundhara overhead bridge in Kathmandu on November 8, 2024. In the case as well, the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office later relieved the policemen, who were deputed at Janasewa Traffic Police Office, from their duty.  

Both the traffic police and senior police officials tend to take action only when such videos go viral on social media which sparks criticism of police image and their moral conduct. 

Such incidents and many others like them are now frequently seen circulating on social media platforms. What is more concerning is that these cases often remain hidden from the public eye until they are posted online, a social activist Reena Maharjan said. Only after gaining widespread attention and triggering public outrage do the concerned law enforcement authorities initiate investigations or take disciplinary action, often under mounting social pressure, she said. 

According to Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and Spokesperson for the Police Headquarters, Binod Ghimire, police personnel should not use force against civilians unless unavoidable.

“Police personnel found using excessive force can be suspended and even laid off,” DIG Ghimire told The Rising Nepal. “Acknowledging the problem of aggressive behaviour among our officers, we have been training them to behave in a polite and respectful manner with everyone.”

“Rather than taking physical action, we have told our officers and juniors to either detain the rule violators or to fine them as per law.”

Nepal Police and every one of its members must abide by the core principles of Nepal Police and they include -- honesty and transparency, discipline and order, respect for all, accountability and service to the public, claimed DIG Ghimire. But in practice, some of the organisation’s members lose their temper when they are in difficult situation to deal with the circumstances.

According to former Deputy Inspector General Hemanta Malla, Nepal Police using excessive force on civilians is not a new issue but unlike in the past such incidents become public now because everyone uses social media. “We all are under digital scrutiny era, everything we do uncommon and unruly, sooner or later, will come out on social media,” said Malla. 

According to Malla, such incidents happen because many police officers after donning the uniform wrongly think they are superior to the ordinary citizens.

“Not only this, the individual character of officers also has an effect on their behaviour. Similarly, due to overwork and the stress related to family and work could also have a role in their aggressive behaviour,” Malla told the TRN daily.

However, Malla believes that such incidents have declined compared to the past as everyone now has a camera (smartphone) in their hand and they can easily film police wrongdoings and post such clips on social media.

Meanwhile, Nepal Police has urged the general public to contact it on the toll-free numbers 100 or 01-4412780 or 9851292111, or email at ecomplain@nepalpolice.gov.np if they have any complaint against police.