Ahead of the upcoming House of Representatives elections, Nepal’s security agencies have launched a nationwide operation to recover weapons looted during the September 2025 protests and to track escaped inmates.

The Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force (APF), and the National Investigation Department have deployed dedicated units across all 77 districts under the “Integrated Election Security Plan–2026.” The plan identifies looted weapons and escaped prisoners as key threats to election security.

During the protests six months ago, around 1,300 weapons were stolen or went missing from police records, with nearly 100,000 rounds of ammunition also unaccounted for. So far, only about 900 of the stolen weapons have been recovered, leaving 400 still missing.

In the same unrest, roughly 14,000 inmates and detainees—including those under investigation, on trial, or serving sentences—escaped. About 4,000 remain at large.

Authorities are also monitoring risks of explosives being used to disrupt the elections. The government had instructed licensed gun owners to submit their firearms and ammunition to local authorities until the results are announced. However, of more than 21,000 licensed weapons, only around 5,000 have been surrendered so far.

Officials said special operations are underway to track individuals or groups who might misuse registered arms, mobilise looted weapons, or use explosives to create unrest. Nepal Police and APF have deployed special bureaus for this purpose, while the Army’s intelligence unit and the National Investigation Department are also involved.

A police official said the initial deployment followed the September unrest, but fresh measures were necessary as a significant number of weapons and inmates remain outside state control. Parties and groups opposed to the elections are also under surveillance.

The APF has intensified checks along the 1,880-kilometre Nepal-India border, from Taplejung to Kanchanpur, to prevent weapons and explosives from entering the country. Authorities have decided to seal international border points for 72 hours before and on polling day. Of the 249 border outposts, additional checkpoints have been set up at about 1,000 points to monitor movement and inspect goods and travellers.