Kathmandu, October 2:

Police have apprehended over 100 persons from different parts of the Kathmandu Valley in the last couple of weeks. “The Valley Police has arrested 123 persons in a couple of weeks to prevent stealing, cheating, robbing and other money-related crimes in the run-up to the Dashain festival,” Inspector General of Police, Shyam Bhakta Thapa, said talking to this daily.

Crime rates usually go up in the run-up to festivals. “Cheating, stealing, looting and robbing cases take place more during festivals,” he added. The Valley Police, organising a press conference today, said it has arrested 16 persons on charge of their involvement in a number of crimes in the last two weeks.

The police also seized Rs 93,000, three tolas of gold jewellery, nine Khukuris, two swords, and two iron rods from them. A police team from the Bouddha Ward Police Office managed to recover a gun that was looted from the security guard at the residence of SAARC general secretary, Chenkyab Dorje, some four weeks ago. The police also arrested two persons with a pistol, homemade pistol, revolver, gun, and a Khukuri. The Balambu Area Police Office arrested four persons with a pressure cooker bomb, remote controller and a torch.