LALITPUR: A few days ago, while watching television, Udaya KC of Imadol saw some people trying to enter his kitchen. When he shouted, they ran away. Later in the morning, he found his shoes strewn on the street.

As the population in the Valley increases, suburban areas are expanding as well. So are incidents of crime.

Criminal activities like theft and burglary are increasing in Imadol Village Development Committee, which lies on the border of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur districts. The area has become unsafe during early morning and at night. The locals are ignorant about the cause of crime. They said nearby slum areas and squatter settlements have led to increase in theft, burglary and terror in the village area.

Traumatised by such activities the locals got together to form Tripur Sangam Bhu-Samrakshyan Tatha Tole Sudhar Samiti (TSBSTSS). They have deployed several youths to patrol the area in the night.

Ram Kesar Bogati, president of TSBSTSS said that they are focusing on construction works like roads, drainage, and temples. “However, ensuring security was a problem, so we deployed the youths of the village.”

He said police patrol is not frequent in the area. “This area at the centre of three districts and that’s why it is being neglected.” Subash KC, a youth volunteer of Imadol said, “We inquire people we suspect. If we find anything wrong with them, we either take them under control or strictly warn them not to appear in the area next time.” He said that the youth team had already helped security personnel arrest criminals many times.

A National Children Eye Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre is being built nearby. The centre has also become a victim of inadequate security.

“The thieves stole more than 100 kg of iron from the hospital,” said Santosh Adhikari who lives nearby. Some unidentified boys assaulted him and snatched his purse. The perpetrators were neither identified nor caught by the police, Adhikari complains. He said setting up a police office in the area is needed as patrolling alone would not be enough to check the crime.