Police officials investigating into the incidents in which two people were murdered say they have failed to trace both the perpetrators and their motives, as the criminals have employed new modus operandi in committing the crimes. [break]
“The attackers suddenly appear, open fire and vanish. We are running in the dark alleys in our attempt to find the culprits,” said an official who has been credited for the arrests of many absconding murderers well as the seizures of weapons used by them.
DIG Rajendra Singh Bhandari, chief of Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) said incidents like these are likely to continue given the current security situation.
Illegal firearms are not only in the possession of criminals but also with persons from different walks of life. However, the Nepal Police does not have an official estimate of the number of illegal firearms in the capital.
“The two shootings, we fear, may encourage new crimes outwitting the law enforcement agencies,” said officials. “They are going beyond our watch or wit.”
Officials attribute two main reasons behind the wide prevalence of small arms and unbridled crimes in the capital: complete disorder and poor intelligence.
“It now has 28 entry points whereas its checking mechanism dates back to the time when there was only one major entry point -- Thankot,” said Singh. “The system has not been upgraded. There is still no mechanism to monitor the movements in and out of the valley and to keep record of the people staying here.”
“It´s already too late to improve on the intelligence front,” he said.
Singh also lamented that intelligence mechanisms have not been prioritized by the government even in the transitional period.
Criminal intelligence has never been a policy priority for the security agencies, especially the Nepal Police. Even significant intelligence gathered by officials on an individual level has not been utilized.
“I submitted a report on weapon factories operating in Munger and Bhagalpur in Bihar, India from where arms have been smuggled to Nepal since the insurgency began. Had our leadership coordinated with the Indian counterparts, the situation would not have been that dangerous,” said a high official.
Political mask
The all-time allusion to political protection when it comes to organized criminals has also come to the fore this time around. When criminals are protected politically, crimes proliferate necessarily, officials said.
“It´s an easy mask,” said Singh.
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