Indian President Pranab Mukherjee arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday amid a tight security cover that ensure a virtual curfew-like atmosphere. Nepal Army and Nepal Police forces stopping even pedestrians on roadsides was a common sight hours before the Indian President’s arrival.

More than 10,000 security personnel were deployed across the city as Indian President arrived on a three-day state visit. He is also scheduled to travel to Janakpur and Pokhara.

According to security agencies, more than 5,000 Nepal Army troopers have been deployed, with around 3,500 personnel from Nepal Police; 4,000 from Armed Police Force and more than 1,000 officials from the National Investigation Department were present for the security.

A Nepal Army helicopter also provided aerial security cover to the motorcade of the visiting dignitary throughout the trip. 

“Our security team includes special security force; bomb disposal squads; health services team and air security force,” said NA Spokesperson Brigadier General Tara Bahadur Karki.

As Mukherjee’s motorcade proceeded towards President Bidhya Devi Bhandari’s office in a convoy of over 20 vehicles that included a jammer, an ambulance and 12 vehicles which carried high-level government officials. 

A special team of the Nepal Army has been providing inner security cover with a three-layer security cordon to the Indian President. During any visit of VVIP, the Nepal Army takes care of the closed inner security while Nepal Police, APF and NID officials assist them in the outer security layer. 

The Nepal Army officials said that the unit that manages the security of President Bhandari is handling the security arrangements for Mukherjee. Eight-member Indian security team led by Dr AK Verma has been coordinating with the Nepali security agencies. An integrated security plan was developed by Home Ministry for the Indian President’s visit. 

Six arrested 

Police arrested six people, including president of Greater Nepal movement Phanindra Nepal and secretary Ram Khadka and Lok Raj Jaisi, whose exact designation with the movement is not known. Also arrested was anti-corruption activist Sarada Bhusal. SSP Bikram Singh Thapa, chief of the Kathmandu Metropolitan Range, Teku, said the persons were arrested for their suspicious activities and later released in the evening.  

Security to be heightened 

Officials are planning to step up security with deployment of additional personnel on the roads and sites to be visited by the Indian President as government and private offices resume on Thursday after Tihar holidays. The government had declared Wednesday a public holiday, a move that attracted a widespread criticism over Nepal’s “shocking loyalty” towards the Indian establishment. “Today the security arrangements worked fine. But we will have a hard time on Thursday to manage the traffic,” said a police official, requesting anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the press on security matters.

KMC to accord civic reception 

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is organising a civic reception for visiting Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at City Hall, Exhibition Road on Thursday. This is the second time that the metropolis is hosting a higher level reception of a visiting dignitary in almost two decades. In 1998, the metropolis had organised a reception in honour of then Indian President KR Narayanan. 

“The reception is organised on behalf of all Kathmandu denizens,” said Rudra Singh Tamang, the chief and executive officer of the KMC. “It is a matter of honour for us to get this opportunity to felicitate the Indian head of state.” (PR)