Opinion | What happens when the police are the problem?

Key Points

• Nepal has stronger laws against torture and disappearance, but families still struggle to get justice when the police themselves control the evidence and records.
• The article recalls conflict-era abuses, including the disappearance of Rajendra Prasad Dhakal and the killing of Maina Sunuwar, both of which exposed major accountability failures.
• A 2015 crackdown in the Tarai and the still-unpublished Lal Commission report are cited as examples of weak police oversight and unresolved rights violations.
• The Cabinet’s removal of Inspector General Dan Bahadur Karki has renewed questions about whether investigators can act independently when powerful institutions are involved.