A total of 3,535 police personnel have been deployed in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) with an aim to minimise crimes and maintain safe and secure environment in the Capital during Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals.

As crimes like murder, kidnapping, violence against women, theft, illegal liquor business, poaching and gambling increase during the festival season, the Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu has decided to conduct 24-hour surveillance in the Capital.

“The Capital becomes nearly empty during festivals, due to which the risks of crime increases. The security officials will be on the round-the-clock patrol in the city to control such crimes,” Spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mohan Kumar Thapa told the Post on Sunday.

With the major festivals including the biggest Hindu festival Dashain around the corner, people are set to leave the Capital in droves for their home town for the festivals. Around 3 million people leave the Valley during the Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals.

The Metropolitan Police Range has said it would also beef up security in places such as banks, co-operatives, places of worship, markets, hotels and restaurants, government offices, entry and exit points of Kathmandu, highways and hospitals.

“Many security officers in civil dress will be monitoring various areas and to gather prior information of any crimes,” said DSP Thapa.

The police range has formed an information desk to gather problems of people during the festival season. Similarly, it has also formed separate rapid action teams in order to tackle emergency situations in the city.

As high numbers of people set to leave the Capital over the next couple of weeks, the police range has established 10 help desks to provide the prospective commuters with necessary information on travel fares and other necessary help.

Traffic police are said to be strictly implementing the rules against drink-and-drive across the country to prevent accidents, considering the spike in such incidents during the festival season.

“The area police have a power to make their own rules and regulations to avoid crimes and problems during the festive season. Many have already implemented the regulations with the others set to follow suit,” Central Police Spokesperson Senior Superintendent of Police Shailesh Thapa Kshetri told the Post.

“It is the duty of Nepal Police to provide a safe environment to public during the festival season. There will not be any compromises on that,” he added.