On September 23, Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa instructed the Home administration to put in place necessary security measures for the upcoming festivals—Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath.

Home Secretary Prem Kumar Rai, Nepal Police Inspector General Sarbendra Khanal, Armed Police Force IG Shailendra Khanal, National Investigation Bureau chief Ganesh Adhikari and Chief District Officers of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur attended the meeting at the minister’s office.

Millions of people visit their ancestral homes in order to celebrate the festivals every year. According to police, crimes are more likely to occur at this time. To curb such incidents, the Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu has publicised a special security plan for the festive season, aimed at ensuring the safety and security of the people and their property.

While crimes like murder, kidnapping and violence against women are common in the Capital, the festive season mostly sees incidents of theft, human trafficking, pickpocketing, drugging and robbing, gambling, gang fights, and black marketeering, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Uttam Raj Subedi.

“We have deployed 25 percent more personnel than at other times to provide security throughout the festive time,” Subedi told the Post. “Our offices will provide 24-hour service throughout the festive season.”

Security personnel have been deployed on foot, bicycles, motorcycles and vehicles for seal and search, cordon and search, picketing, ambushing and vigilance, and cross-checking operations.

The Metropolitan Police Range has deployed more personnel in the core areas. “We are more focused on controlling financial crimes and we also conduct strict checking at district entry points by mobilising police personnel with trained dogs. In the festive season, illegal trafficking is more likely to happen,” further added Subedi.

Nepal Police has divided policing works into various sub-groups. According to a statement, police would watch the movement of VIPs and keep vigil of vital installations, government offices and transit points in Kathmandu, banks and financial institutions and marketplaces.

Authorities have requested people to inform the nearest police station before leaving for their ancestral places. With Dashain just around the corner, more than three million people are estimated to leave Kathmandu Valley to celebrate the festival in their hometowns with their families, according to the traffic police division. security