KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 23

District Police Range, Kathmandu, has decided to mobilise 3,343 cops to ensure reliable security arrangements for the festive season.

According to Festival Security Plan-2022 released by DPR, it aims to ensure safety of lives and property by preventing and curbing criminal activities during Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals. The festival security plan has mainly focused on thwarting any untoward incident in the capital and facilitating people to head to their destinations to celebrate the festivals without any fear and worries.

SP Dinesh Raj Mainali, DPR spokesperson, said security personnel would be deployed in such a way that they can reach anywhere within five to seven minutes after receiving information about any criminal offence. 'Security arrangements have been made to reach the incident site within the stipulated time and do justice to the victims, while bringing to book the perpetrator(s),' he informed. All police circles, sectors and units in Kathmandu have been directed to implement the security plan from their respective places to maintain law and order. The festival security plan is also aimed at addressing the potential security threats that are common during travelling and shopping.

The cops to be deployed will be both in uniform and plain clothes. Incidents of social crimes, theft, rape, human trafficking, gambling, pick-pocketing, bootlegging, alcohol abuse, drugging and robbing, gang fight and black-marketing are likely to increase during the festive season.

Police made arrangements for escorting, cordon and search operation, mobile patrolling, picketing, ambushing and surveillance and cross-checking teams on the road to curb criminal activities, in addition to establishment of help desks. The security arrangements also include the use of sniffer dogs. Meanwhile, police have stepped up security checks at major squares of, transits to Kathmandu and the outskirts of the city.

Police will also give consideration to temple security, food monitoring, checking import and illicit use of fire crackers, lottery scams and trafficking of small arms in addition to keeping an eye on the movement of VIPs, vital installations, government offices, banks and financial institutions and marketplaces during Dashain holidays by adopting intelligence-based strategy. Major market areas of Kalanki, Thapathali, Bagbazaar, Bhrikutimandap, Gaushala, Chabahil, Koteshwor, Gongabu, Balaju, Teku, Tripureshwor and Maharajgunj, where the trade of goats is rampant during Dashain, will be under police vigilance.

During Dashain and Tihar, almost half of the valley's total population of around four million, leave for their respective home districts.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 24, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.