Kathmandu, October 22

Police today rounded up singer Durgesh Thapa, charging him with spreading ‘negative message’ in society through his recently released Tihar song called ‘Happy Tihara Chiso Beer.’ Police also accused Thapa of openly marketing beverage products through his music video, which had gone viral in social media.

Thapa was released this evening, after he agreed to remove the song from his Youtube channel. Police also said Thapa had apologised for the content of the song, and had agreed to change certain words of the song if he wished to release it again. He was summoned through a phone call and was held at Metropolitan Police Crime Division, Teku. Police took action against Thapa acting on a complaint on the song by the District Administration Office, Kathmandu. Senior Superintendent of Police Sahakul Bahadur Thapa of the MPCD said the song was openly suggesting people to consume prohibited drug, marijuana, and inspired people to drink beer while celebrating Tihar, the second greatest Hindu festival after Dashain.

Hindu Nepalis enjoy singing deusi-bhailo, a traditional programme held in the evenings and nights during the Tihar festival. SSP Thapa said, “In recent years there has been the trend of organising traditional deusi-bhailo programme in a vulgar manner, which has led to the degradation of our religious values.”

Thapa, after being released from the police custody, said he would bring the same song in the market after correcting a few words that police had found objectionable.

He also said the police move could not be justified as he was not the only person coming up with such songs.