Boost Police Morale

If there is one hard lesson to be learnt from the recent violent outburst, it is how fragile progress and peace can be in the absence of law and order. As the state collapsed and demoralised police stopped doing their job, unruly mobs got a free hand to go on a rampage, committing abhorrent acts of violence. This dire situation has highlighted the crucial function of the police in maintaining law and order – something we now realise that we had taken for granted. But, despite their outsize importance, the police were the ones to bear the brunt of the violence. This situation arose in no time with the brutal killing of 19 youths on the first day of the Gen Z protest on September 8.

According to a story this daily ran on Thursday, September 9, two policemen stationed at Maharajgunj Police Post were brutally killed by the protesters. In a similarly distressing act of extreme cruelty, another one on duty at Koteshwor Police Sector was mercilessly stabbed to death. Dozens more were chased, captured and savagely beaten, despite pleading for their life. Many had to be rescued by the Nepal Army from the rooftops of the gutted police posts. A total of 122 police stations were destroyed, while another 96 suffered damage. 

In all, 117 police vehicles were reduced to ashes, with half a dozen sustaining damage and 158 two-wheelers being destroyed. What's more, thousands of small and large firearms, along with millions of rounds of ammunition, were stolen. Police have warned that anyone failing to return looted weapons will face legal action. The loss of equipment poses a severe security threat, given that 9,803 escapee prisoners convicted of serious crimes are still on the run. Weapons and ammunition looted remain missing. By all accounts, the scale of the attack was unprecedented. 

A little over a week now, a glimmer of hope has emerged that things are going to improve and the police will now be showered with the same, if not more, respect they so deserve. The effort to rebuild the destroyed police infrastructure is now underway with strong community involvement in many parts of the Kathmandu Valley. Partially damaged buildings have been cleaned and made operational. Over half a dozen police posts, including in Thali, Koteshwar, Sobhabhagawati Temple side and Swoyambu area, have now been renovated and are being coloured with the help community and youths. To accelerate the effort and to boost their morale, the government needs to immediately address the severe shortage of police vehicles and equipment. 

On the sunny side, a nationwide realisation has now dawned that if the police had enough morale to swiftly spring into action to stop the reprehensible acts of murder, arson and vandalism, many lives and properties could have been saved. Unruly mobs would have been prevented from doing what they brazenly did. No nation in the world tolerates the killing of its servicemen. The evildoers who committed the despicable acts deserve exemplary punishment to ensure that troublemakers do not further commit similar crimes in the future. 

Just the presence of police makes a huge difference. Not only do they act as a strong deterrent against crimes, but they are also an indispensable manpower to investigate crimes and apprehend and imprison criminals, making everyone feel safe and at peace – two prerequisites crucial for development and prosperity. They are the first responders in times of emergencies. Through community engagement, they foster trust and cooperation between citizens and law enforcement. It is high time we honour their contribution to making our neighbourhoods safe.