Peruse the lapses

Two unidentified assailants shot dead a prominent media entrepreneur Jamim Shah dead Sunday afternoon in Lazimpat, one of the busiest streets in the capital and supposedly a high priority security neighborhood. The killing has shocked all including the media organizations and also the political parties who have urged the authorities to nab the culprits and bring them to book. The government has formed a high level committee to probe the shooting. The incident has caused a scare and follows incidents of several other attacks involving shootouts. Lazimpat is considered to be one of the safe locations with tight security as it houses several foreign embassies. However, the attackers who came on a motorcycle and fired at Shah, who later succumbed to gunshot wounds at the Teaching Hospital, were able to escape. The police have launched a massive hunt for the gunmen, and so far several people have been held for interrogation. That such attacks have been taking place in Kathmandu with unflinching regularity points to something basically wrong with the security set up. However, the police claim they have made special security arrangements. Incidentally, the shooting took place on the day when the security in the area had been further tightened up for the vice president's oath taking ceremony in Shital Niwas, a two minutes drive away. This incident, in particular, belittles the security personnel's argument that they have been on high alert to avert any untoward breaches of the law and order situation.

These days murders and extortions using firearms have become commonplace. It is the common man who suffers and some sort of panic has gripped people in the city. It is up to the security forces that they look up to provide enhanced security under the circumstances, and the police should not let them down. This means never letting their guard down so as to avert similar and other attacks involving weapons in the future. So as to prevent shootings the best way would be to confiscate all illegally possessed firearms. Furthermore, security checks must be carried out at all susceptible vantage points to see if anybody is lugging such weapons. The roads and other public places should be constantly monitored to see if any untoward activities are taking place and suspicious people should be pulled up so that they may not carry out misdeeds.

Not only in Kathmandu valley,but the lax security situation throughout the nation is a matter of immense concern. Although the police say they have brought about special security arrangements from time to time, it is felt that the criminal activities are on the rise. Virtually everyday there are reports of crimes involving the use of firearms in the capital city. This clearly shows the lapse on the part of those entrusted with the task of providing security. As security is the overriding concern of all the citizens, those entrusted with this task should leave no stone unturned in their bid to do so. In the meantime, it would help if all the citizens cooperated with the security agencies in their investigations so as to deter crimes that have been assuming worrying dimensions.

Bouncing back

Well, the delightful moment for Nepali sports arrived finally after ten days into the 11th SAG in Dhaka, striking the gold first blood in wushu and karate. Adding more to it, the Nepali athletes have made further forays in the medal tally. There were higher expectations but that has not come true. There are reasons to support the fact that adequate and war footing preparations were not the staple diet. It is more an indication of the apathy that reigns in the officialdom when it comes to giving priority to the sporting sector, both in terms of investment and incentives to the sportspeople. The latest medals chart is enough to show how far the others are ahead.

Despite the precedence set earlier in various disciplines, the steam seems to have been lost. Besides the financial input, of great worry is the political meddling that takes a toll of the professionalism of those in the game. With this grim reality, making a career in sports cannot materialize. Lack of incentives, the talk of glory alone cannot act as a catalyst. That the Nepali 11th SAG participants put on a brave show, in spite of the apparent inadequacies and the scary lift incident right at the beginning, must come in for high praise.