Security personnel deployed to the Area Police Office at Thori Rural Municipality-2 in Parsa have been living in deplorable conditions for the lack of a permanent office building.

The police operate out of a shaky five-room building. The exterior of the building has cracks and the roof has sunk in. The building provides little to no protection for the 21 personnel stationed there from either security threats or natural elements.

The office, built 50 years ago on five bighas of land, was initially used as the army barracks. In February 1996, the barracks came under a heavy attack by Maoist rebels, but the outpost survived.

“During the conflict, most police stations and army barracks in rural areas of the district were destroyed by the Maoists, but this office building was defended,” said Prakash Khanal, a 40-year-old local. “After the army left, the building is being used as a police office.”

The northwestern part of Parsa falls under the Area Police Office’s jurisdiction but the personnel are not equipped to monitor or provide security to the area, an officer stationed at the police office told the Post on condition of anonymity.

“We don’t get any rest or sleep because the building is uninhabitable,” he said. “A couple of years ago the roof was fortified with zinc sheets. That was the only time this police post was renovated.”

The officer continued, “It is a nightmare for us to live here. During the summer, we can’t rest for fear of snakes; during the rainy season, the whole building leaks and winters are unbearable here.”

According to Chiranjivi Sapkota, a teacher in Thori-2, local residents have the feeling that the authorities have neglected the police outpost.

“It is sad to see the condition in which the police live,” Sapkota said. “They are here to protect the area from harm but they are in no condition to serve us. Their living conditions are deplorable.”

Thori is near the Nepal-India border and security should be high on priority to monitor cross-border crimes but the police office is not equipped to do that, Sapkota added.

In the fiscal year 2014-15, then-home minister Bimalendra Nidhi submitted a memorandum seeking funds to construct a new police station in Thori. The Ministry of Home Affairs set aside Rs8.7 million for the project and invited bids.

“At that time, the locals of Thori petitioned the Minister of Home Affairs for the construction of a new area police building and succeeded in getting the budget allocated,” Nidhi said. “But nothing came of it. The tender process collapsed, and the building construction was also postponed in 2017.”

Shankar Shrestha, head of the Area Police Office, said that he had already informed the District Police Office about the problems faced by the police personnel. “But I haven't heard anything encouraging from them,” said Shrestha.

DSP Deepak Giri, spokesperson of the District Police Office Parsa, said that the necessary correspondence has already been sent to the Police Headquarters for the construction of a new building in Thori. “But I am unaware of the progress on the issue,” he said.