The recent incident in Birtamod where a police killed a civilian is unacceptable. It’s been long due that Nepal Police has acted indifferently towards mass demonstrations and have failed to deal with it sans using violence. On the other hand, it is understandable that the police fear violence too but isn’t the role of a security body to tackle mass protests without killing anyone?
Police violence and tactics haven’t improved over the years albeit Nepal has escaped from the clutches of civil war and minor ethnic violence. People dying from police’s bullets continues this day and this has to stop. First, the Nepal government should make a bill that prohibits security forces from using a lethal weapon in civil demonstrations. It is only when the security is of a major concern i.e. terrorism activities then the security force is allowed to use bullets. Second, Nepal Police should use other means of ‘crowd control’ methods to curb a demonstration. Third, police should be trained to use the correct method of control. Fourth, Nepal’s crime bureau investigation needs to step up and try to figure out the possible demonstrations in a certain area. Fifth, Nepal government should pass a bill to disallow people from joining unruly demonstrations.
The failure of police to use pre-emptive methods to curb mass demonstrations is also an example of failure. If the security forces cannot commit to proper handling of demonstrations, what can people expect from security forces? If the police force expects to restore its worth among Nepalis then it is the time that it changes its tactics.
