KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Valley Police Office has intensified the ‘Safety Pin Campaign’ to control sexual harassment against women and children, as well as theft cases in public places, offices, and public vehicles.

The office has deployed plainclothes police personnel as part of the campaign to bring those involved in sexual harassment and theft cases under the ambit of the law, aiming to curb such incidents following a surge in complaints.

Eight teams are conducting surveillance at various locations in the Kathmandu Valley, and the campaign has yielded positive results, according to the Valley Police Office.

In the current fiscal year, a total of 1,800 individuals were brought under control under the campaign.

Among them, cases were filed against 178 individuals, while more than 1,600 individuals were released with warnings not to repeat such offenses, stated Chief of the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, Additional Inspector General Deepak Thapa.

He mentioned that the police had initiated the campaign in 2074 BS and it has continued with the approval of the action plan from 2077 BS.

The Valley Police launched the campaign to deter such activities and other criminal acts after discovering that most cases of sexual harassment occurred in various parks, public places, recreational areas, and offices.