Kathmandu, September 30

Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, has chalked out special security plan to ensure safety of lives and property during Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals.

Senior Superintendent of Police Basant Kumar Lama, MPR in-charge, said the security arrangements focused on preventing any untoward incident in the capital and facilitating people head to their destinations without any fear. All metropolitan police circles, sectors and units  have been directed to implement the security plan from their respective places.

SSP Lama said a minimum of 3,535 cops, both in uniform and civvies, would be deployed in Kathmandu for the festive season. Incidents of theft, rape, human trafficking, gambling, pick-pocketing, bootlegging, alcohol abuse, drugging and robbing, gambling, gang fight and black-marketing are among the crimes likely to increase during the festive season.

The security arrangements range from the use of sniffer dogs to patrolling. “Police personnel will be deployed for foot, cycle, motorcycle and vehicle patrolling; seal and search; cordon and search; picketing; ambushing and vigilance; and cross-checking,” he informed.

Police will step up security checks at major junctions, 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, Bagbazar, Bhrikutimandap, Gaushala, Chabahil, Koteshwor, Gongabu, Balaju, Teku, Tripureshwor and Maharajgunj, where the trade of goats is rampant during Dashain, will be under police vigilance.

The number of Quick Response Teams, mobile units, sniffer dogs and reserve units have been increased, said MPR.  During Dashain and Tihar festivals, almost half of the valley’s total population of around four million leave for their respective home districts and the thieves target unattended houses.