Along with the looting of police weapons, police uniforms and personal belongings in the barracks were also burned in the arson. Police officers were even forced to take off their uniforms and flee for their lives after protesters set fire to the police building.
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After painting the building blue and white, the windows and doors are being repaired. Partitioning of various police cells is also underway. The reconstruction of the police circle will be completed this week.
‘Even though the building burned down, we are providing services from various subordinate offices,’ said DSP Santosh Roka, head of the Boudha Police Circle, ‘We are preparing to complete the construction work within the next week and resume services from this building.’
This police building is about to take on its old look after the locals’ activism. A committee has been formed with the locals’ activism for the reconstruction and maintenance. Although the committee estimates that it will cost 8 million, the amount is likely to increase.
During the protest on Bhadra 24, 97 police offices in Kathmandu, including Boudha, were vandalized, looted and set on fire. According to SP Pawan Kumar Bhattarai, Information Officer of the District Police Range, Kathmandu, 11 police offices have not yet returned to their previous rhythm. According to the data of the District Police Complex, the police division Sankhu, police post Syuchatar, police posts Mulpani, Stupa, Birendra Chowk (Kandaghari), temporary police posts Sundhara and Paropkar have been operating from nearby subordinate offices after the damage.
The police circles have made alternative arrangements until the old buildings are repaired. Services are being operated from the Dharamshala near the entrance of the Police Circle Gaushala Pashupatinath Temple, the old building of the Police Circle Baneshwor Citizen Investment Fund and the Cultural Building of the Police Circle Janasewa Ward.
Earlier, various branches including the case branch, promotion branch, special branch were now operating from two/three rooms and tents, but the police are managing them, says SP Bhattarai. 'The mess (canteen), toilets, and alternative buildings for service operation are cramped. It is natural that problems arise when police officers are scattered and provide services,' he said, 'The detention cells of the circles have been burnt.' It is inconvenient to handle major cases. Transportation and other issues are also a problem. But we are continuously in service.'
Police Circle New Baneshwor is also preparing to start service in its own building after reinforcement. Circle Chief DSP Hari Khatiwada says that efforts are being made to provide service in the old style even after the building burned down.
Along with looting police weapons, police uniforms and personal belongings in the barracks were also burned in the arson. After the protesters set fire to the police building, the police were forced to take off their uniforms and run away to save their lives. Police vehicles, motorcycles, computers, and documents were also destroyed that day.
On 24 Bhadra, 465 police offices across the country were damaged. Of these, 118 police offices were completely damaged. The highest damage is reported to have occurred in the Kathmandu Valley. 64 offices in the valley were completely damaged and 146 were partially damaged. In Madhesh Province, 13 police offices were completely damaged and 77 were partially damaged. In Koshi, 16 police offices were completely damaged and 41 were partially damaged, in Bagmati (excluding the valley) 8 offices were completely damaged and 37 were partially damaged.
Similarly, in Sudurpaschim, 10 police offices were completely damaged and 6 were partially damaged, and in Lumbini, 4 were completely damaged and 10 were partially damaged, according to the Police Headquarters Naxal. In Karnali Province, no police office was damaged.
Central Police Spokesperson Abinarayan Kafle says that most of the buildings damaged in the incidents of 23 and 24 Bhadra are being reconstructed and repaired with the help of locals. Locals have also provided police mess materials, blankets and bedding. On 24 Bhadra, protesters killed 3 policemen in Kathmandu.
