Robust Security In Dashain

Nepal Police are now rising from the ashes to serve the public as the country is heading to celebrate Dashain, the biggest festival of Nepalis. Demoralised to the hilt during the Gen Z movement, the police have to start from scratch as the protesters torched hundreds of their buildings and vehicles. The mobs killed at least three cops. The police had drawn ire for resorting to the excessive use of force to tame the surging protesters. However, the police had acted at the command of higher authorities that ultimately follow the instructions of the executive head. 

As the Kathmandu Valley Police are bracing to implement their special security plan during major festivals, they have a serious challenge to win the confidence of the common people, who witnessed a trail of deaths and destruction of public and private infrastructures during the Gen Z uprising. The country is still reeling from shocks and shudders. Instilling hope and a sense of security in people is not easy. For a section of people who have lost their dear ones during the movement, Dashain will be painful. The agony of the populace can be greatly reduced if they are provided with foolproof security at this time of uncertainty.

A large number of people have already left Kathmandu Valley to celebrate Dashain in their hometowns in different parts of the country. So the incidents of theft and burglary are likely to occur in areas with security lapses. Moreover, hundreds of criminals who have escaped from various prisons during the Gen Z protest might be roaming here and there. This really poses a threat to the property and life of people, demanding effective mechanisms for their security. Against this backdrop, Valley’s police are gearing to mobilise over 6,000 personnel to ensure the safety of residents during the festival. For this purpose, around 16 locations have been selected. Each site will have 10 personnel under the Deputy Superintendent of Police to monitor the situation.

According to a news report of this daily, a total of 38 teams in plain clothes will be mobilised for information gathering, while 22 teams will be deployed for sealing, searching, and monitoring. Additionally, 22 more teams will be engaged in ambushing and surveillance checks. The crowded areas will be supervised through drones. Security personnel keep an eye on key bus stations, ticket counters, ATM booths, jewelry shops, goat markets, temples, and busy marketplaces. Security will be beefed up at places where public vehicles depart from Kathmandu and at areas where business activities have increased. These measures will ensure security for residents, economic zones, unoccupied homes, government offices and markets.

Under the special security arrangement, the police will arrive at the scenes within five minutes and take control of the situation within 30 minutes. Altogether 76 Quick Response Teams (QRTs), equipped with modern technology, will reach sites of incidents upon getting information. Similarly, 24 mobile patrol teams will operate during the festival period. Long-route patrols will be mobilised for three days and short-route patrols for a day. Sniffer dogs, a necessary surveillance tool and plainclothes police will also provide security. Nonetheless, the community should also support the security agencies so that festivals remain crime-free. Festivals strengthen family bonds and social harmony. Thus, ensuring robust security is the key to celebrating Dashain in a peaceful and blissful aura.