Kathmandu, March 31 : A routine policy discussion at the Nepal Police Headquarters took an unexpectedly emotional turn on Sunday afternoon when the country’s top law enforcement official was brought to tears while addressing the mass exodus of officers from the force.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Bahadur Karki was delivering a speech on the urgent need to improve service conditions, restructure pensions, and review tenure lengths when he was suddenly overcome with emotion. Grappling with the organization’s alarming attrition rate, Karki’s frustration became palpable.
“I couldn’t retain my police… this is the problem,” Karki stated. He stood stunned for a moment, his voice growing heavy as tears welled in his eyes.
As a deep silence fell over the gathered officers, Home Minister Sudan Gurung broke the quiet. Abruptly standing from his seat, the minister began clapping in a spontaneous show of support for the police chief. Gesturing for the rest of the attendees to join him, Gurung soon had the entire hall on its feet, delivering a resounding standing ovation that underscored a shared sense of struggle and solidarity within the ranks.
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The emotional display served as the focal point of a broader summit aimed at confronting the mounting challenges facing the Nepal Police. Earlier in the day, after receiving a guard of honor, Gurung toured several key departments at the headquarters, including the crime investigation and digital forensics units.
During his own address to the force, the Home Minister openly acknowledged the severe hardships burdening lower-ranking personnel and promised tangible changes to their working environments. Taking a hardline stance against political meddling, Gurung urged officers to report any undue outside pressure directly to his office.
“I will not spare anyone, even if they belong to my own party,” he warned the attendees.
Pushing for a modernized and more approachable police force, Gurung also outlined several new operational strategies. He stressed the importance of improving police-citizen interactions through a “service with a smile” mandate. On a tactical level, the Home Minister proposed utilizing police vehicles as emergency ambulances, deploying tear gas via drones to minimize direct risk to officers, and enforcing a strict rule that no personnel be sent into the field without proper safety gear.
Once the standing ovation for IGP Karki eventually subsided, the heavy silence that returned to the room left a lasting impression. For those in attendance, Sunday’s program was more than just a procedural briefing; it was a stark, public acknowledgement of the harsh realities and urgent need for systemic reform within the Nepal Police.
