Two ex-police officers win from Lumbini

By Our Correspondent,Bhairahawa, Mar. 10: Two former senior police officers, who previously led crime investigations, riot control, and security operations, are set to enter into the Federal Parliament as lawmakers. 

From Lumbini Province, former Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bikram Singh Thapa of Kapilvastu-2 and former DSP Govinda 

Panthi of Gulmi-2 won their seats in the House of Representatives, both representing the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).

Having transitioned from police service to politics, the two newcomers defeated experienced and well-established political leaders to secure their parliamentary positions.

Thapa, elected from Kapilvastu-2, is a former SSP. He defeated former minister Brijesh Kumar Gupta, who was seeking his fifth term, and Congress leader and former minister Surendra Raj Acharya, who was aiming for his third victory.

Thapa had previously contested the 2022 Provincial Assembly elections as a Congress candidate but was defeated. This time, running under the RSP banner, he secured 27,635 votes, beating his nearest rival Acharya, who received 21,527 votes.

During his career in police, Thapa was renowned for his work in crime investigation, gang control, and operations against underground groups in the Tarai region. 

He played a key role in major cases such as the high-profile Unity fraud case, petroleum theft incidents, and the arrest of Bhagat Singh, who had been spreading terror through underground activities.

Known as a strict yet effective officer, Thapa led police units in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Banke, Rupandehi, and Kapilvastu districts. 

Born in Gulmi, 63-year-old Thapa has long worked in Kapilvastu. A science graduate from Udaya Pratap College, Banaras, he was awarded the ‘Purnashanti Award’ in 2003 for outstanding service in the police force.

Thapa has stated that he intends to apply his police experience to parliamentary work, focusing on anti-corruption measures, good governance, and addressing the fundamental needs of the people.

In Gulmi-2, former Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Panthi ended the long winning streak of UML Vice-chairman and former minister Gokarna Raj Bista.

Bista, contesting for the sixth time, was seeking his fifth consecutive win. Except for the first Constituent Assembly election in 2007, Bista had never previously lost. Panthi, contesting for the first time for the House of Representatives, won with 16,967 votes, narrowly defeating Bista, who received 16,406 votes.

Born on February 28, 1975 in Madane-7, Gulmi, Panthi remained active in social and legal fields after retiring from the police as DSP. He is also a practicing lawyer.

During his service, he participated in investigations of several high-profile cases, including the visit visa and Bhutanese refugee cases. Panthi has also conducted training and awareness programmes across the country on human trafficking and drug control and has provided free legal aid to underprivileged communities, maintaining a strong record of social service. He stated that he intends to use his policing experience to contribute to policy-making and legislative work.