Election Chores for Nepal Police; Revelry for Robbers? 

Sabika Shrestha 

A surge in cases of robberies and organized crime across Kathmandu Valley has raised fresh concerns over public security, as police link most recent cases to inmates who escaped during the Gen-Z protests.

Authorities say criminal networks are exploiting reduced routine policing caused by heavy deployment of security forces for upcoming elections.

Several fugitives have been re-arrested in late-night operations involving gunfire.

Kathmandu Valley is witnessing a troubling rise in cases of robberies and late-night crimes, largely driven by prisoners who escaped during the Gen-Z protests.

With thousands of fugitives still at large and security forces stretched thin due to election duties, authorities warn criminal networks are exploiting a growing security gap.

Late Thursday night, Kathmandu police opened fire to arrest Prem Chaudhary of Banke at Nagarjun Municipality–6, Mahankal, recovering 65 tolas of gold, silver, cash, and homemade weapons.

Police said Chaudhary, linked to a string of thefts across Bhote Bahal, Boudha–Tusal, Kalimati, and parts of Lalitpur, attacked officers during the arrest attempt.

Police shot Chaudhary in the leg after they were attacked leaving one police constable injured.

Just days earlier, police carried out another late-night operation in Mulpani, arresting 23-year-old Binay Tamang, the leader of an organized robbery gang active across the Kathmandu Valley.

Tamang had escaped police custody during the Gen-Z protests and is accused of orchestrating at least 22 robbery incidents within three months.

Kathmandu District Police Range, SSP Ramesh Thapa said that several inmates had absconded from jail during the GenZ movement and are now seen involved in theft and robbery cases.

He stated that nearly 90 percent of the looted weapons have already been recovered, while efforts are underway to trace and recover the remaining arms.

Thapa emphasized that recovering the looted weapons remains a top priority for the police, describing it as a major challenge not only for law enforcement but for society as a whole.

The impact of escaped prisoners is not limited to the capital with similar incidents of robbery reported across the country.

Though police says that more than 90% of the looted weapons during the GenZ movement has already been recovered, the deployment of security personnel for March 5 election is another major reason.

Spokesperson of Kathmandu District Police Range Paban Kumar Bhattarai added that prisoners are also involved in recent criminal activities, particularly theft cases in Kathmandu, where most of the accused are repeated offenders with a history of similar crimes.

Referring to the incidents of vandalism and arson on 7^th and 8^th of September the spokesperson said that criminal records at the District Police Range, other police units, the Government Attorney’s Office, and the courts were destroyed.

This, he said, indicates that the perpetrators acted with the belief that theiridentities and past criminal records would no longer be traceable.

In addition to the election deployment of security personnel, the cctv coverage that Nepali police had across major cities including capital Kathmandu, is near obsolete.

According to Nepal Police of the 1,500 total cctv cameras vandalized during the two days of protest, only 800 have been restored so far.

Though cases of robbery and theft have visibly risen in major cities, Nepal police claims that cases compared to last fiscal year is slightly lower.