KATHMANDU, May 29: Over 6,000 security personnel have been deployed across Kathmandu as the ruling CPN-UML marks Republic Day and pro-monarchy groups simultaneously stage a campaign calling for the restoration of the monarchy.
The UML is celebrating Jestha 15 (i.e. today) as the day the republic was established, while royalist groups have announced a peaceful protest in the capital. Authorities say the deployment is aimed at preventing any confrontation between the two sides.
"Security personnel have been mobilized in Kathmandu to prevent any untoward incidents," said an official from the Kathmandu District Administration Office.
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The personnel—drawn from both Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force (APF)—have been stationed throughout the Kathmandu Valley, both overtly and covertly. “A sufficient number of police have been deployed across the valley,” said Central Police Spokesperson Ramesh Thapa. APF personnel have also been placed on heightened alert, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Shailendra Thapa, the APF's Assistant Spokesperson. "The APF has been deployed in coordination with other security agencies as per the decision of the District Security Committee,” he added.
The UML’s Republic Day celebrations include a cultural performance and a procession led by the United People's Movement Committee under the leadership of Navaraj Subedi. At the same time, royalist groups are bringing supporters from outside the valley to participate in their Kathmandu-based protest, which has been authorized to begin after 2 PM.
To ensure proper coordination and preparedness, the Kathmandu Valley Police Office (KVPO) convened a meeting Wednesday morning at the Nepal Police Club in Bhrikuti Mandap. Heads of the Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur police offices, along with officials from the Valley Crime Investigation Office and the Airport Security Office, participated in the session.
Addressing the gathering, AIG Tek Bahadur Tamang instructed police personnel to handle the situation with professionalism, discipline, and respect for human rights. He emphasized adherence to the principles governing the use of force and urged officers to maintain high morale during crowd control operations.
The caution comes in light of a violent royalist protest on March 28 at Tinkune, where police were widely criticized for both their timing in using force and their failure to prevent property damage. Authorities are keen to avoid a repeat of that incident.