After the Gen Z Protest, Police in the Valley: Daytime in Police Beats, Nighttime at Police Stations
Since yesterday evening, news has been circulating on social media that police presence in Kathmandu has increased, and that officers stationed in beats were called back to their police stations at night.
These rumors spread especially after Gen Z protest leader Sudan Gurung and others visited the Kathmandu District Police Office to file complaints against outgoing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.
According to police sources, Sudan reportedly threatened, after the police hesitated to accept the complaint, that they would “show themselves on the streets” if necessary. However, Sudan has denied making such statements.
So, did the police suddenly increase security deployment? What is the reason? We asked DIG Vinod Ghimire, the central spokesperson of Nepal Police, for clarification.
He explained that after the Gen Z protest on the 24th, which involved vandalism and arson, most police officers in the Valley stopped staying overnight in beats.
“Since the 24th, our beat personnel have been performing daytime duties at the beats, but at night they return to the stations to sleep,” DIG Ghimire said. “We don’t yet know why these rumors started spreading.”
He added that although police movement in and out of beats has always occurred, yesterday the rumors simply became louder. “Before the 24th, they used to stay at the beats with weapons, but after the 24th, we haven’t issued any weapons. The places aren’t fully prepared either, which is why they return to the stations,” he explained.
Earlier, some police stationed at beats were provided weapons, but now weapons are limited and all arrangements have not yet been completed.
Yesterday, leaders of the Gen Z movement were present at the Kathmandu District Police Office, applying pressure to register complaints against Oli and Lekhak.
“When people started gathering outside the police office, it was natural to deploy slightly more security personnel,” said a police officer at the office. “However, there is no separate force deployed for this situation at the moment.
