KATHMANDU: The police have intensified its action against hooliganism in the country over the last few years.

As a result, some of the goons have died in police encounters whereas some others have been sent behind the bars. Yet, a few more are still attempting to retain their reign.

According to Former AIG Jaya Bahadur Chand, although the intensified police action has reduced the incidents of hooliganism, it has not come to an end yet.

Former AIG Chand, renowned as an encounter specialist in the police, thinks the criminal activities of the goons have got life due to the major political parties’ protection.

At least these 3 incidents of this week have shown the same:

‘Radhe’ held in threats allegation

The police nabbed notorious don Radha Krishna Bhandari alias Radhe from Dhadingbesi recently. According to SP Mahendra Khadka, the Chief of District Police Office Dhading, Radhe has been held in custody for threatening assault against the people’s representatives.

“When we got that Radhe’s gang threatened the local people’s representative who tried to stop his illegal activities like extracting and from the restricted areas, we arrested him,” SP Khadka told Khabarhub, “We’d received written complaints against Radhe.”

Nepal Police had arrested Radhe in June 2019 when he was assaulting the locals with the knives and other weapons for witnessing against his illegal activities.

This notorious goon is a Vice President of Nepal Tarun Dal Dhading, the youth wing of the Nepali Congress.

The police record shows him involved in extortion, issuing threats against the witness and victim of his crime, influencing the construction-related contracts, extracting sand and other natural resources illegally, arranging commission illegally from various sources, etc.

Money laundering case worth Rs 170 million against ‘Bale’

Department of Money Laundering filed a case against notorious don Bala Ram Sapkot alias Bale on October 5.

The Department has sued him at the Special Court in the allegation of accumulating more than 172 million rupees illegally.

In addition to it, Bale’s wife Sirjana Kakshapati is also sued seeking more than 25.8 million rupees as compensation. She is alleged of extracting wealth through gambling and hooliganism as well.

‘David’ arrested for extracting 1.6 million as a ransom

The police cuffed infamous Durga Bahadur Shrestha alias David on October 6.

This notorious gangster is arrested by the Central Intelligence Bureau(CIB) for extracting money from the Nepalis in foreign employment.

According to CIB Chief DIG Sahakul Thapa, David is alleged of taking Rs 1.5 million as ransom from the relatives of Madham Raidas of Dang Paharuwa by kidnapping him in Malaysia.

The CIB investigation shows that David has been collecting by kidnapping or assaulting the people in foreign employment to extract money from them.

With hooliganism on the rise, the police have been monitoring the activities of the notorious goons in the capital valley for the last few years. It has been updating the list of such infamous gangsters as per the frequency of their criminal records.

DIG Bishwo Raj Pokharel, the chief of Metropolitan Police Circle Office claims that the police have been observing the activities of the suspicious activities of the goons categorizing them into various groups.

He assures that the criminals terrorizing the public in one way or another will be brought to law sooner or later.

According to police sources, there are around 250 goons actively working in Kathmandu and the nearby districts. Of late, their activities have been observed very closely.

Hooliganism in gangs

The police investigating vandalism claims that Raju Gorkhali, the convict recently released after passing two years in a murder case has got nearly three dozens members organized in his gang. He seems inactive lately.

Another gangster Ganesh Lama, who has entertained political protection from Bijaya Kumar Gachchhedar mobilizes nearly 3 dozen goons as well.

Milan Gurung, alias Chakre has also around 35 gangsters working under him. Sandesh Lama alias Baghe has 11 people directly helping him in criminal activities. Another gangster Prabin Pradhan operates with the help of 10 members as well.

The police have the record of a few others who have been operating with a handful of members.

In the outskirts of the capital, Sagun Shrestha, operating in political hide and Suman Shreshta(Jyapu) recently released from jail after passing time in a drug trafficking case is working from Sindhupalchowk. Some of their members are in jail and are trying to operate from jail as well.

Gangsters entertain protection from police and the politicians!

According to the crime experts, in nearly 85% of criminal activities in the valley, there is some sort of direct or indirect connection of the police.

“The involvement of the police is noticed in some activities,” Former DIG Hemanta Malla says, “the involved are sued under the law, yet, the department has some other interest as well.” He claims that they are used to extract more information related to various crimes and criminal networks.

According to former DIG Malla, most notorious gangsters have some sorts of connections with and protection from the political leaders.

“No major political party is an exception in it,” Malla told Khabarhub, “Not only the political leadership but sometimes the high officials of the police also demur to take action against some gangsters.”

“The hooligans seek protection from somewhere,” the spokesperson of Nepal Police Kuber Kadayat told Khabarhub, “Some of them are found seeking political protection, yet we won’t spare them.”

The police investigation shows that the main source of income of the gangsters their group members in Kathmandu and neighboring districts is the commission from various contracts and weekly recovery from illegally operating the sand and pebble industry, crusher industry, and the hydro-power companies under construction.

“Hooliganism is never acceptable under the rule of law,” Former AIG Chand said, “hooliganism is bad both for the involved and the victims; the regulatory authority should come heavily against such gangsters.”