Policemen seek refuge in locals’ houses

Dhangadhi, January 12 :

The government is re-establishing police posts that were displaced during the conflict, but as these reset-up posts are sans infrastructure, the policemen assigned to these posts are forced to live in the houses of local civilians.

Policemen in some two dozen re-established posts in Baitadi, Darchula, Bajhang and Accham districts are living in the houses of civilians.

“We are forced to go the river banks for ablutions and toilet purposes,” in-charge of the Chaumala police post in Kailali, sub-inspector Lalit Chand said.

Policemen at the re-established post at Kanari in Kailali district are cooped up in a cowshed belonging to a local.

“We have to knock on the doors of locals every evening,” a police officer said, adding, “As the locals did not provide us shelter, we are staying in a cowshed since yesterday.”

Policemen at re-established police posts in Baitadi also are staying in houses of locals each night.

“We have arranged so that not more than three policemen get shelter in one local’s house. The arrangement has been made to make sure house owners do not feel inconvenienced,” an assistant inspector said.

“If people do not provide shelter to policemen at night, where will they go?” chief at the Regional Police Office DIG Surendra Bahadur Pal said, adding, “I have told policemen to seek shelter in the houses of only those locals who provide it willingly.”

Pal added that the policemen would not ask for food or bedding from locals, only space to spend the night.

“A report estimate of around Rs 17 crores has been submitted to the Home Ministry for the re-establishment and management of police posts in the Far West,” Pal said.

Meanwhile, 126 police posts have been re-established in nine districts of the Far West.

The 126 police posts of border police, Area Police and police were displaced during the conflict. “Except for three police posts in Accham, 123 police posts have been re-established in the Far West till date,” Pal said. “Police teams will go to re-establish police posts in Chaudi, Bhairavsthan and Dhungachalna in Accham on Sunday.”

Some 18 police posts in Kailali, 10 in Doti, 11 in Bajhang, six in Bajura, 16 in Accham, 16 in Kanchanpur, 11 in Dadeldhura, 24 in Baitadi and 17 in Darchula were displaced in the Far West during the nationwide conflict.