As the House of Representatives elections to be held on February 21 draw closer, local administrations have issued a security alert in the border districts of Jhapa, Morang, and Sunsari in Koshi Province.

The background of the violent incidents related to the Gen-G movement, the still undiscovered weapons, the absconding accused and prisoners, and the possible illegal activities from the open border are raising questions about whether the elections will be held peacefully.

The fact that a large number of those directly involved in the Gen-G movement are still at large and the prisoners who have escaped from various prisons have not yet been found remains as a major security challenge. Not all the weapons and ammunition looted during the movement have been found. Some of the absconding accused are walking around openly. This has put pressure on the security apparatus. The past violent background has increased interest and suspicion among voters and political parties.

However, the police claim that the situation is under control. DIG Binod Ghimire of the Koshi Province Police Office says, ‘There is no immediate security risk from the absconding accused.’

According to the police, the search and investigation of weapons, ammunition and people involved in the movement have been intensified. Identification of sensitive areas, regular patrols, special surveillance and information collection have been prioritized, informed DIG Ghimire, the chief of the Koshi Province Police. The general public has also been urged to immediately inform the police if they see suspicious objects in public places, bushes, river banks or tea gardens.

Last Saturday, a suspicious object with a pressure cooker attached inside a black bag and a pamphlet reading ‘Sanatan Suraksha Sena Nepal’ were found near the Kankai Mai Bridge in Kankai Municipality-4. The pamphlet demanded the restoration of the monarchy and the declaration of Nepal as a Vedic Sanatan Hindu Rashtra, and warned of boycotting the election if the demands were not met. Although the Nepal Army's bomb disposal team neutralized the suspicious object, the security agencies have concluded that the incident indicates anti-election activities. 'The group terrorizing the public has been identified,' said DIG Ghimire, 'we will soon bring them under legal jurisdiction.'

The Armed Police Force has increased coordination with its Indian counterpart to control illegal activities and weapons from the border area. The provincial-level security seminar held in Biratnagar last week also focused on election-oriented security. Armed Police Inspector General Raju Aryal not only conducted on-site monitoring of the Bhantabari checkpoint in Sunsari and the Kakadbhitta checkpoint in Jhapa, but also met with officials of the Indian Border Security Force and requested their cooperation.

Tighter checkpoints in Jhapa, identity cards mandatory

Election-focused activities have intensified in the far-eastern district of Jhapa. Political parties are busy selecting candidates, while security agencies are busy implementing strategies. Identity cards have been made mandatory for travelers entering Nepal in Jhapa, which borders both West Bengal and Bihar.

‘You can enter Nepal only by showing proof of your identity,’ said a security guard posted at the checkpoint. ‘There is an order from above not to allow entry without an identity card.’

Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have jointly started strict checks at the Kakadbhitta checkpoint connecting with Bengal and Bhadrapur connecting with Bihar. Jhapa Police Spokesperson Khagendra Bahadur Khadka said, ‘The main objective is to prevent illegal activities and unauthorized entry in the border area as the elections approach.’

There is a plan to mobilize more than 7,000 security personnel in Jhapa alone for election security. Although the number will be mobilized from the district police, armed police and election police, it does not include the number of Nepali Army.

Another serious challenge is that 17 different weapons and about 10,000 rounds of ammunition looted during the Gen-G movement in Jhapa have not yet been found. As the status of the weapons is unknown, the security agencies have intensified surveillance and search after assessing the risk.

Escaped prisoners in Sunsari, a major challenge

Escaped prisoners have become the biggest security challenge for the police in Sunsari, which shares a 62-kilometer border with India. With the increase in election activities, the police have increased surveillance and activity. The candidate recommendation process has been completed in Sunsari, which has four constituencies of the House of Representatives, and security preparations have been intensified with the appointment of an election officer, said Sunsari Police Chief SP Keshav Kumar Thebe.

During the Gen-G movement, 1,575 prisoners escaped from Jhumka Prison on the night of Bhadra 24. Of these, 1,276 were returned, but 477 prisoners are still absconding. According to Jhumka Prison Jailer Subash Lamichhane, most of the escapees are prisoners remanded in custody for heinous cases.

There were 1,799 prisoners in the 1,600-capacity prison before the protest. A special security team led by the Assistant Chief District Officer and consisting of DSPs of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force was formed to arrest the escaped prisoners, but the expected success has not been achieved. According to security sources, most of the escaped prisoners are suspected to be sheltering in Indian territory. The source says, ‘There is a similar situation that they can come to Nepal during the elections and cause problems.’