Considering the Valley a ´less sensitive´ zone with respect to the upcoming election, Nepal Police under the Integrated Security Plan, had decided to deploy half the Metropolitan Police outside the Valley.[break]
At a joint meeting with the Armed Police Force (APF) organized by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner´s Office (MPCO), Rani Pokhari on Friday, security officers raised concerns about the looming manpower crunch.
Out of the 10,872 Nepal Police personnel in the Valley -- comprising Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts -- 5,300 will be deployed outside the Valley during the election, according to SSP Hemanta Bahadur Paal, MPCO spokesperson.
“Bearing in mind the anti-election campaign announced by the Mohan Baidya-lead groups, we have been mulling ways to foil such activities and provide foolproof security for a free, fair and fear-free election,” spokesperson Paal said.
“In comparison to the earlier CA poll, we have insufficient manpower," he said adding, "but thanks to the deployment of the Nepal Army (NA) and with the APF (Armed Police Force) taking over some of the duties of Nepal Police, we hope to tide over the manpower crunch,” he informed.
According MPCO, there are at least 94 vital points in the Valley where at least four Nepal Police personnel along with a similar number of temporary police will be deployed. At least 11 to 13 security personal (one section) of the APF will be deployed at 24 other vital points.
The number of security personnel to be deployed in the town areas is considerable but it is more limited in the outskirts and remote parts of the Valley, officials at MPCO said. As fewer Nepal Police are available in the Valley, the APF is being entrused responsibility for picketing and VIP escorts.
About 18 mobile teams of the APF, including a policeman with a communications set to keep in touch with the control room, and seven mobile units of traffic police will help in escorting VVIPs.
According to the Valley Security Strategy, a joint reserve force of 30 personal will be deployed in each metropolitan police range office and more than 50 others will be kept on reserve at MPCO.
Nepal Police to be deployed in the Valley during the election include 1,417 in Kathmandu, 580 in Lalitpur and 410 in Bhaktapur. Similarly, 1,379 temporary police will be deployed in Kathmandu, 541 in Lalitpur and 365 in Bhaktapur. According to the Home Ministry, 783 personal of the APF and 890 of Nepal Army will be deployed in all three Valley districts.
Kathmandu Valley is considered comparatively safe from the security point of view. So, of the total number, 25 percent will be on regular duty. However, in case of need, they could be shifted to election security, DSP Arjun Bahadur Chand of MPRO, Hanuman Dhoka said.
“We have arranged security measures keeping in mind the tougher races, areas considered to be strongholds of the CPN-Maoist and constituencies where senior party leaders are candidates, he added.
In areas where the police presence is thin, army personnel will carry out long-range patrolling during the poll. Army asked to oversee security at additional vital installations
Given the shortage of policemen, Nepal Police has drawn the attention of the Ministry of Home Affairs to request the Nepal Army to oversee security at additional vital installations in Kathmandu Valley.
Nepal Army has already taken charge of security at Tribhuwan International Airport, the Central Jail, Nakkhu Jail, the minister´s quarters, Nepal Academy, Singha Durbar and a few other points.
“We still need army support at various installations like Sundarijal drinking water project, BP Foundation and Koushi-Toshakhana [pension management office],” spokesperson Paal said. According to the army, if the APF is to take on responsibility for the Pashupatinath area, the arrmy is ready to deploy at vital installations as required.
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