Kathmandu, Oct 21: During the Gen Z movement, over 1,200 firearms, including pistols and rifles, and nearly 100,000 rounds of ammunition were looted from police units.
While some have been recovered, most weapons remain missing. The loot occurred on September 9, when protesters vandalized and set fire to police offices. The largest number of weapons was taken from the Kathmandu Valley Police Office in Ranipokhari, where more than 25 firearms and over 4,000 rounds of ammunition were seized.
According to the Nepal Army Headquarters, out of 978 looted police weapons, the army has recovered 586. Only a portion has been handed over to the police, and the data is still being updated.
Police believe most of the weapons are still in Kathmandu, though some may have reached the border areas of Sudurpaschim and Madhesh provinces. The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office, in coordination with the Kailali District Police Office, has recovered two weapons and 28 rounds of ammunition from Kailali. So far, 15 firearms and 600 rounds of ammunition have been recovered in total.
The Police Headquarters has appealed to the public to report or surrender any looted weapons by contacting Police Control 100, the toll-free number 16600141516, or the central contact number 985129459. The Home Ministry has also urged citizens to return weapons as soon as possible.
The headquarters has directed police offices to review nearby CCTV footage and social media videos to trace stolen weapons.
According to DIG Binod Ghimire, the central police spokesperson, a special mechanism within the police is already working on recovering the weapons. “Almost every day, one or two weapons are being recovered,” he said. “Our concern is to prevent these weapons from being used in other crimes. If anyone voluntarily returns a weapon, we thank them. But if the police recover it through investigation, the holder will face legal punishment.”
Police suspect that some protesters have hidden small weapons inside Kathmandu, as such firearms are easier to conceal.
A senior official at the headquarters warned that there is a real risk of the looted weapons falling into the hands of criminal groups or illegal traders. “The fact that most have not been returned suggests they are either still with protesters or have crossed the border,” the official said. “If the weapons reach individuals with a criminal background or those released from jail, it could create serious problems.”
According to high-level police sources, the Baneshwar Police Circle recovered some weapons from hostels. “During screening, some of those involved in the movement were found living in hostels,” a source said. “A gas gun and another firearm were recovered from a hostel near Buddhanagar.”
Former Inspector General of Police Thakur Gyawali said the headquarters must prioritize recovering the weapons by deploying plainclothes officers extensively. “The looting of police weapons is highly sensitive and could lead to misuse,” he said. “The police should form a separate mechanism dedicated solely to recovering these weapons. There are many videos on social media showing people carrying firearms during the protests on Bhadra 24. Those should be carefully analyzed to trace the weapons.”
Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal has also instructed the police to bring those involved in arson, looting, and the theft of police weapons under legal scrutiny. However, police sources say that some individuals arrested with evidence were later released on the minister’s directive, leaving police facing renewed difficulties in their investigations.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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