DHANGADHI, March 6: Authorities have expressed concerns over the over the spike in criminal activities resulting from the increased possession of small arms among youths in Kailali district. Easy availability of weapons across the border (in India) and the weapons left lying around from the insurgency period have been blamed for the problem.
"Nowadays the Dhangadhi town has been witnessing increasing number of criminal activities and small arms have been used in many of such incidents," said Pawan Bhatta of the National Human Rights Commission. "Security forces should come up with immediate plans to control the use of small arms," added Bhatta.[break]
According to a security source, anyone can buy a handgun for around Rs 5,000-6,000 in the neighboring Indian towns, so arms smuggling via India is very common.
Dhangadhi-based reporter Birendra Rawal informed that possession of weapons has rapidly increased among the youths involved in tender bids. "Most of the youths involved in government tender offers carry hand guns in their bags and they use them to intimidate rivals right on the government office premises," said Rawal.
Expressing concern over the dangerous situation, Bir Bahadur Jathara, a legal practitioner and coordinator of the Peace Committee in Kailali, said weak law enforcement is the main reason behind the increase use of small arms in the district.
"The security agencies should work hard to control illegal arms and the political parties should stop giving protection to criminals," he said.
Likewise, Insec´s Sher Bahadur Pariyar citing Insec report said small arms were found to be involved in 37 criminal incidents in the district in the year 2012. "Five people were murdered using small arms during the year," he said, adding, "Open border has caused smuggling of such arms to rise."
However, the chief district officer of Kailali, Ram Kumar Thapaliya, said the district administration has taken steps to control small arms in the district. "The securiy agencies are confiscating illegal and unregistered arms," he said. He also informed that he will ask Indian officials during the next border security meeting to help curb arms smuggling through border.
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