Nepal Police striving to regain credibility

Kathmandu, September 13

Nepal Police has come under criticism like never before. Some recent incidents questioned the efficiency, performance and transparency of the security agency, once considered one of the best in criminal investigation and law enforcement in the world.

Here are a few examples: On January 25, Durbar Marg police refused to register an FIR from a gang rape victim. Instead, the police forced the rape victim into signing a ‘reconciliation paper’ with the perpetrators. Nepal Police did nothing more than suspending or recalling the faulty officers.

Reports of alleged collusion of police personnel with perpetrators are also coming out in different districts. The investigation into the March 2, 2017 murder of Sanam Shakya and disappearance of 33 kilograms of smuggled gold didn’t go that far. Later on, the Ministry of Home Affairs intervened and formed a special probe panel led by a joint secretary. Many senior cops have been charged with shielding the perpetrators of the murder and gold smuggling.

Police staged a ‘fake encounter’ to gun down two alleged kidnappers and murderers of an 11-year-old boy in Bhaktapur on August 6. Neighbours said police arrested them from their rented room and took them to a nearby forest for ‘encounter’ rather than putting them on trial. It appears the two perpetrators were not hard-core criminals.

In any democratic society, where rule of law is in practice, security agencies, including police, must follow standard procedures. National and international rights bodies called on the government to conduct a fact-finding investigation into the ‘encounter’ and punish the guilty cops, but in vain. The National Human Rights Commission is probing (still probing?) the incident.

The MoHA suspended Kanchanpur district police chief SP Dilliraj Bista and directed Nepal Police to initiate action against DSP Gyan Bahadur Shethi and Inspector Ekendra Khadka over their failure to bring to book the perpetrators of the rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Panta. Police opened fire on protesters, who had been staging protest demanding the arrest of murderers, and one person was killed by a gunshot.

Following intense public pressure, police arrested one Dilip Singh Bista for his alleged involvement in the crime. He was released earlier this week after his DNA did not match with that of the victim girl. The locals, however, continued their protest saying that Bista was framed by the police and falsely charged, which emerged to be true.

The failure of police to conduct effective investigation drew intervention of the line ministry, which formed a five-member panel led by its joint secretary Hari Prasad Mainali on August 23. However, it has also yet to identify the culprits and mystery continues to baffle the authorities. The tenure of the panel has been extended till next week.

The failure of Nepal Police to bring to book the perpetrators by conducting prompt and effective criminal investigation poses a threat to the life of the victim and gives rise to impunity.

Senior Superintendent of Police Shailesh Thapa Kshetri, Nepal Police spokesperson, admitted that the conduct of some cops had defamed and degraded the hard-earned goodwill of the entire department. “Some incidents have dealt a serious blow to the image of the security agency. It is a lesson for the department to mend its ways and be watchful of responsible officers in the field level,” the spokesperson said.

A meeting of Policy Coordination Committee chaired by IGP Sarbendra Khanal held in Nepal Police Headquarters on Sunday did a SWOT analysis – which assesses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats – of the security agency. “The PCC meeting has laid out a detailed plan of action and activities to regain its image and sought reforms in policing and police conduct. This action plan is expected come into force within a week or two. “If the department still doesn’t act, this will seriously dent the image and credibility of the police force,” a senior police officer said.

For now, police leadership faces mammoth challenges. “Observance of chain of command, community and victim-friendly policing, keeping away from political interference, culture of professionalism and end to factionalism like that of ruling and opposition parties in the security agency could be a key to bridging the gap between police and civilians,” according to former DIG Hemant Malla Thakuri.