Police HQ pulls back personnel, deployed for ‘VIP security’, in line with home policies

Kathmandu / Apr 13: The Nepal Police Headquarters has called back its personnel who had been deployed in ‘unauthorised VIP service’. So far, 57 personnel serving as Personal Security Officers (PSOs) and 25 personnel serving as drivers to the VIPs have reported to the headquarters.

“The personnel assisting people who are not commissioned for their service, mostly retired police officers, and do not fit within the policy and guidelines of the Home Ministry for such facilities, have been called back. Most of them have reported to their duty stations while some are in the process of reporting,” Spokesperson of NP, Deputy Inspector General Manoj Neupaney informed.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had earlier directed the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force headquarters to bring back security personnel deployed in service of those who did not fall in line with the Ministry’s policies. “The Home Ministry had sent out directives to both the security forces to ask the personnel deployed to report back to their respective headquarters, within seven days, and the process has begun,” Home Ministry Spokesperson Ram Kumar Subedi said.

The move came in as there were all around criticisms of the officers and bureaucrats misusing security personnel, using them for household works, for a long time.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had previously made a statement that he would stop the misuse of security personnel, including the Nepal Army personnel. Later Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa had also publicly said that he would work towards this end.

The Home Ministry has already expedited the process, which would need constant monitoring. It remains to be seen if the Defense Ministry takes any action in this regard, to stop the misuse of security personnel and to discourage abuse of authority.