As the government presses for dialogue with armed outfits operating in Terai and eastern hills to find an amicable solution to the problem, the Nepal Police has discounted the use of weapon against them to control their activities and instead says it can better tackle the situation by simply arresting them for criminal offences.

Top Nepal Police officials say this new strategy will be effective in controlling the resurgence in the region.

Eastern Regional Police Headquarters Chief Sharada Bhakta Ranjit told a local radio station that the police force in the region has adopted this strategy as there is possibility of a further rise in violence if they resort to using weapons against the armed outfits.

DIG Ranjit, however, said that if the outfits raise weapons against the police then it would have no option but to retaliate in a similar manner.

He also said that additional police force would be deployed in Terai districts where the violent activities of such armed outfits have increased lately so as to maintain the law and order situation there. He also said that a new security strategy would be implemented soon.

A security meet held in Biratnagar few days ago to work out a effective security strategy for eastern Terai, reached a conclusion that the police efforts to check the activities of such armed outfits in places like Saptari and Siraha have largely failed due to low police deployment there.

Speaking at a programme on Wednesday, Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam talked of mobilising police force against the armed groups if the latter ignore the government’s invitation for dialogue.

Gautam said that deploying Nepal Army to check the growing activities of armed outfits in Terai is not necessary because he believes that Armed Police Force and Nepal Police are “enough to deal with them”.

He also revealed that the government has so far established contact with 14 armed groups operating in Terai and eastern hills in an attempt to bring them to the negotiating table. nepalnews.com ag Nov 06 08