As incidents of theft and robbery continue to be reported daily, the general public is afraid to move around freely.
What you should know
Crime incidents have started increasing in urban and rural areas of Lumbini Province. Even during simple conflicts, deadly attacks using weapons have started taking place.
As incidents of theft and robbery are becoming public every day, the general public is afraid to move around without fear.
Two weeks ago, Ramesh Timilsina, 38, of Bhurigaun, Thakurbaba Municipality-1, Bardiya, was fatally attacked. Timilsina, who had gone to stay at the house where Kiriya was staying, was beaten up and seriously injured by a group of 10/15 people, including Tarka Bhandari of Thakurbaba-3 Gidarpur. Police said he was hit on the body and head with an iron rod. Eyewitnesses claimed that Timilsina was shot.
No bullet fragments were found on the injured person's body during the medical examination, said DSP Devendra Bahadur Malla of the District Police Office, Bardiya. Two people have been arrested on charges of assault. Six more people have been charged in connection with the incident. The police have said that a search is underway. Taking advantage of the absence of the police, people involved in smuggling in the border area have become active.
Two rounds of air fire were fired during a clash between smugglers and the Armed Police Force near the Nepal-India border in West Nawalparasi on Wednesday night. There was an attempt to attack security personnel at the Basaiya checkpoint in Pratappur rural municipality of Nawalparasi. The clash led to the need to fire in the air, said Santosh Rayamajhi, head of the Armed Police Force Nepal No. 26 Battalion Headquarters.
The clash occurred at midnight while checking people coming towards Nepal on motorcycles. Dried fish were recovered from them. The attempt to attack a team including an Armed Police Force inspector was made.
A month ago, a group of smugglers attempted to attack a team of the Deputy Superintendent of Armed Police in Bethari, Rupandehi, while they were taking control of a truck carrying smuggled goods. The Armed Police Force team reached Bethari after receiving information that the truck was carrying smuggled goods.
While encircling the truck and taking control of the truck, a group of smugglers attacked the Armed Police Force. They pushed and abused the Armed Police Force to release the goods in the truck. Locals took to the streets to obstruct the Armed Police Force.
About two weeks ago, a shooting incident occurred at the four-star Hotel Nirvana in Bhairahawa during a fight between customers. The weapon used in the incident and the person involved have not been found yet, said District Police Spokesperson DSP Suraj Karki. Bhairahawa businessmen have said that they feel insecure after the shooting incident in the city center.
Incidents of robbery and smuggling have also increased in Kapilvastu. A few days ago, a motorcycle was stolen from near the main gate of the District Police Office Kapilvastu. Locals are in panic after a motorcycle was stolen from a place where the police monitor it day and night.
Similarly, 218 bags of Indian urea fertilizer were recovered from near the Maryadpur police post in Yashodhara Rural Municipality-7 on Tuesday. The fertilizer was found abandoned 200 meters west of the police post by the Suthauli Customs Office.
On Kartik 15, a man came on a motorcycle with an Indian number plate from a woman who was running a grocery shop at Laxmanghat Chowk in Banganga-6 of Kapilvastu and fled after stealing a gold chain from her neck.
These are just some of the representative incidents that have occurred in Lumbini Province in recent times. According to local residents, such incidents are happening every day now. However, the lack of arrests of those involved in such incidents has created an atmosphere of fear.
According to a police inspector working in Rupandehi, the police are not deployed in such small numbers as before. They are being deployed only after planning how to provide additional help in the event of an attack on the police.
A week ago, fairs were held in monasteries in rural areas of West Nawalparasi, Rupandehi and Kapilvastu. Locals had complained about the low police presence at such fairs. The municipalities in the concerned areas had mobilised the municipal police to maintain peace and order at those fairs.
Senior Superintendent of Police Sharada Prasad Chaudhary, Information Officer of the Lumbini Province Police Office, said that it is normal for sporadic incidents to be made public in society.
He claimed that the security situation in the province is not as precarious as it is being rumored outside. ‘The police are working for the safety of the people first,’ he said. ‘We have prepared a special plan and mobilised the police in the changed situation.’ We have made information collection effective.' He said that no one in the province should feel insecure.
