Key Takeaways:
- Open border hampers crime control, drug trafficking and cybercrime rising
- Police propose CCTV, detector machines, modern surveillance technology
- Misinformation, hate speech, communal disputes flagged as security risks
- Campaigns against drug abuse and community-police partnerships to continue
Nepal's open international border is making crime control and security management increasingly difficult in Koshi Province, prompting the provincial police to call for greater use of surveillance and detection technology along the frontier.
Koshi Province Police has proposed installing CCTV cameras, detector machines and other modern security technologies in border areas to strengthen monitoring and curb illegal activities.
Presenting a paper on the province's security challenges at an interaction with journalists in Biratnagar on Tuesday, SSP Yogendra Singh Thapa said the open border, drug trafficking, misuse of social media, economic crime and cybercrime were among the major security concerns facing the province.
According to police, the open border makes it difficult to effectively control illegal activities, prevent crime and maintain security along the frontier. Inadequate resources and a shortage of skilled personnel for investigating drug-related, economic and cybercrime have added to the challenge.
Misinformation emerges as security concern
Police have also identified the growing spread of misinformation, false information and hate speech through social media as a security challenge.
Such activities can undermine social harmony and make security management more difficult, according to the police. They also cited attempts to use false information to create pressure for decisions favourable to particular interests, evade legal compliance and conduct negative campaigns against the government and its activities.
Religious, cultural and communal disputes have also been listed as security concerns, along with activities that could obstruct development projects. Police have particularly identified activities targeting the Nepal Oil Corporation and hydropower projects as potential threats to development work.
Police seek technology-based response
Koshi Police said it plans to strengthen coordination with other security and government agencies while upgrading its intelligence network and expanding technology-based security systems along the open border.
It has also prioritised community-police partnerships and awareness programmes, arguing that local communities can play an important role in security management.
The police said various campaigns against drug abuse, including 'Mothers Against Addiction', will be continued.
The provincial police said it would increasingly rely on information, technology, community participation and inter-agency coordination, rather than traditional policing alone, to respond to changing security challenges.
