A large number of complaints recorded by tourist police are related to theft and fraud. According to police data, as many as 1,252 cases were filed by foreigners during their stay in Nepal in the past two fiscal years.

In the fiscal year 2018/19, tourist police offices across the country recorded 633 complaints, out of which 481 were related to missing personal belongings.

Likewise, 102 complaints were related to theft while 24 complaints concerned fraud. Six cases of pickpocketing, four of harassment, and two related to misbehaviour were also recorded that fiscal year.

“Mostly, tourists file complaints when they lose their documents such as passports or travel documents, and cameras and bags. There has been no complaint of a serious crime until now,” Amrit Bahadur Basnet, chief of the Bhrikutimandap Tourist Police Unit, told the Post. “We coordinate with local police if necessary while investigating these cases.”The tourist police 26 offices at various tourist destinations of the country; 10 of them are inside Kathmandu Valley.

“We have mobilised a significant number of tourist police at tourist destinations to ensure their safety,” said Basnet. In a bid to ensure the safety of tourists, the Nepal Tourism Board has also launched a tourist police mobile app. The app offers information on the locations of tourist police, online complaint registration service, and emergency hotline numbers.