After Gen Z crackdown failure, Nepal Police to get new riot control gear
Summary
The government is moving to buy non-lethal riot control gear for Nepal Police after criticism over security firings during recent protests and communal tensions in the Tarai-Madhesh region. The home ministry is also preparing legal amendments and drone-based crowd control technology, including drones that can broadcast announcements and fire tear gas.
Key Points
- The government has prioritised non-lethal crowd control equipment after four people were killed in recent security firings amid unrest in Tarai-Madhesh.
- The Home Ministry is preparing amendments to the Essential Goods Protection Act 1955 and the Local Administration Act 1971, while also exploring drone-based surveillance and tear gas deployment.
- Home Minister Sudan Gurung said procurement had been delayed by funding constraints but is now underway under the new budget cycle.
- Police officials say shortages of non-lethal gear and inadequate training have contributed to reliance on live ammunition, and some have urged government-to-government procurement.
