Kathmandu, November 20

Of the hundreds of complaints received by the Tourist Police in the last 10 months, loss of documents and mobile sets topped the list.

As per the record compiled by Tourist Police Office (TPO) – Kathmandu, a total of 576 complaints were registered in the 10 months of the year.

“Most of the complaints were related with either lost or stolen documents, passports, mobile phones and DSLR cameras,” said Chief Police Inspector of TPO - Kathmandu, Amrit Bahadur Basnet. He further said that TPO was successful in recovering most of the lost mobile phones and documents.

Likewise, complaints related to harassment by hawkers and beggars were also registered at TPO.

“With the tracking system, we succeeded in sorting out the complaints related to lost phones and cameras to some extent,” he said.

“However, in lack of manpower we have been unable to address all the issues effectively.”

As per him, currently there are 227 tourist police officers working under the supervision of tourist police inspectors at 26 tourist police units spread across the country. Among the total units, 10 are within the Kathmandu valley and 16 are located in 12 districts outside the valley. Inside the valley, TPO units are in Bhrikutimandap (Central Office), Thamel, Basantapur, Pasupatinath area, Swoyambhu, Tribhuvan International Airport, Patan, Bhaktapur, Nagarkot and Boudha.

Likewise, outside the valley, TPO units are in Kakarbhitta - Jhapa, Lukla - Solukhumbu, Janaki Mandir, Birgunj, Sauraha, Syabrubesi - Rasuwa, Pokhara, Dhampus, Ghandruk Birethanti in Kaski district. Other units are in Chame - Manang, Jomsom - Mustang, Gorepani - Myagdi, Bandipur - Tanahun, Belhiya and Lumbini in Rupandehi district.

According to Basnet, 51 new officers will be joining the tourist police soon.

“The current number of tourist police officers is too less to handle all the grievances of tourists in the country,” he said.

Although the government is recruiting tourist police officers focusing on the Visit Nepal Year 2020, Basnet added that due priority needs to be given to increasing the number of tourist police across the country for convenience and security of tourists visiting Nepal beyond the campaign year.