KATHMANDU: Charles Shobraj, a notorious French serial killer, also labeled as Bikini Killer for the attire of his victims, is serving life imprisonment in Nepal for the murder of two foreigners in Nepal. The septuagenarian is accused of murdering 12 foreigners.
Likewise, Peter John Dalglish, a Canadian humanitarian worker, and former United Nations staff is in judicial custody for pedophilia. Not only Dalglish, British national Iain Robert Cole was nabbed on the charge of sexually exploiting under-age male children. He is currently serving a jail term.
Indians have topped the number of inmates and detainees in Nepali prisons while the second spot has been occupied by Chinese nationals. Most of the foreigners arrested in Nepal have been accused of drugs smuggling and a few sexual assaults.
These are only representative examples of foreigners spending days at different prisons in Nepal for crimes. Some 1,125 foreign prisoners and detainees are in Nepali prisons.
Department of Prison Management informed that they have been kept at 74 prisons and three child reform homes. According to Director General of the Department of Prison Management Hari Prasad Mainali, the highest number of 209 foreigners are kept at the Sundhara-based Jagganath Dewal Prison and remaining others are kept at 34 different prisons in Parsa, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Lalitpur and Kailali among other districts.
Indians have topped the number of inmates and detainees in Nepali prisons while the second spot has been occupied by Chinese nationals. Most of the foreigners arrested in Nepal have been accused of drugs smuggling and a few sexual assaults.
According to Nepal Police Spokesperson Uttamraj Subedi, Indian and Pakistani inmates and detainees are accused of involvement in cases of counterfeit currency, forgery, and drugs smuggling. Likewise, inmates and detainees of African and European descents are facing cases of drugs smuggling and forged passports.
Govt spending over Rs 70 million on foreign inmates
The government has been doling out 700 grams of rice and Rs 60 to prisoners on a daily basis. Besides this, they are entitled to Dashain, maternity, clothes and medical treatment among other allowances.
According to the Department of Prison, the government is spending Rs 500 per prisoner on a monthly basis. According to the Department, Rs 5.6 million is spent monthly as ration and allowances for foreign inmates. The amount stands at Rs 67.5 million yearly and adding miscellaneous costs takes the figure to over Rs 70 million.
Foreigners at Nepali prisons
Jagganath Dewal Prison, Kathmandu: 209
Parsa District Prison: 108
Jhapa District Prison: 93
Regional Prison Sunsari, Jhumka: 81
Nakkhu Prison, Lalitpur: 81
Makwanpur District Prison: 53
Banke District Prison: 52
Morang District Prison: 44
Kailali District Prison: 32
Dillibazaar Prison: 27
Mahottari District Prison: 26
Kaski District Prison: 26
Rautahat District Prison: 23
Rupandehi District Prison: 20
Chitwan District Prison: 19
Saptari District Prison: 14
Kapilvastu District Prison: 13
Nawalparasi District Prison: 13
Palpa District Prison: 12
Others: 53
Total: 1,125
Source: Department of Prison Management
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