The shocking murder of two teenagers that took place on Tuesday is an indication of the high levels of fear and paranoia prevalent across the country, even in the capital city Kathmandu, which is the most secure of all places in Nepal. The facts of the incident are clear: a group of boys had gone to fight with another group with whom they had antagonistic relations. They were, however, outnumbered and forced to runaway. While running away, a group of locals for some reason thought that these high-school students were kidnappers and joined in the chase. When they were finally caught up with, the mob that had accumulated beat up the boys so ferociously that two of them died and two others were so seriously injured that they still haven't regained consciousness.
It would be almost unfathomable how a very large group of people could, within a very short timespan, come to believe that a number of teenagers were kidnappers and use such extreme violence against them, if such incidents had not become very much a common occurrence in recent months. First, news reports began to trickle in from the Tarai about locals in various areas murdering in cold blood — through setting on fire, for example — innocent people. The victims were for the large part mentally handicapped; the locals murdered them because they thought they had or planned to kidnap children. In the past three months 16 people have been killed for this reason in the districts of Mahottari, Dhanusha, Sunsari and Morang. Fear and security was already prevalent in Kathmandu — there had continued to be cases of children being kidnapped for ransom — but the paranoia was exacerbated by the gruesome murder of Khyati Shrestha. By now, insecurity and rage have reached such proportions that in the past month alone, two people have been killed and nine injured by mobs that thought these people were kidnappers.
The prevalent vigilantism is, in addition to being a reflection of the insecurity that the general population lives under, also an indication of the people's loss of faith in the state security agencies. The police has for some time been demoralised due to the political instability and the tendency of political leaders to provide criminals with protection. Criminal groups began to take advantage of the demoralisation of the security forces in the Tarai and this consequently led to high levels of fear among the populace, leading it to take the law into its own hands. This culture has gradually entered the Kathmandu valley. Faced by such spectacles as the police's inaction even when a group of student union members ransacked offices at a college, it was in a sense natural that a sense of cynicism would arise among the public. But this cynicism, coupled with increased fear, has led to contempt for the law itself, and a belief that it is best for mobs to solve problems by themselves. This is a highly worrisome development and the Home Ministry and all security agencies have to develop plans to regain the trust of the people and restore law and order. The costs to society, otherwise, will be huge.
It would be almost unfathomable how a very large group of people could, within a very short timespan, come to believe that a number of teenagers were kidnappers and use such extreme violence against them, if such incidents had not become very much a common occurrence in recent months. First, news reports began to trickle in from the Tarai about locals in various areas murdering in cold blood — through setting on fire, for example — innocent people. The victims were for the large part mentally handicapped; the locals murdered them because they thought they had or planned to kidnap children. In the past three months 16 people have been killed for this reason in the districts of Mahottari, Dhanusha, Sunsari and Morang. Fear and security was already prevalent in Kathmandu — there had continued to be cases of children being kidnapped for ransom — but the paranoia was exacerbated by the gruesome murder of Khyati Shrestha. By now, insecurity and rage have reached such proportions that in the past month alone, two people have been killed and nine injured by mobs that thought these people were kidnappers.
The prevalent vigilantism is, in addition to being a reflection of the insecurity that the general population lives under, also an indication of the people's loss of faith in the state security agencies. The police has for some time been demoralised due to the political instability and the tendency of political leaders to provide criminals with protection. Criminal groups began to take advantage of the demoralisation of the security forces in the Tarai and this consequently led to high levels of fear among the populace, leading it to take the law into its own hands. This culture has gradually entered the Kathmandu valley. Faced by such spectacles as the police's inaction even when a group of student union members ransacked offices at a college, it was in a sense natural that a sense of cynicism would arise among the public. But this cynicism, coupled with increased fear, has led to contempt for the law itself, and a belief that it is best for mobs to solve problems by themselves. This is a highly worrisome development and the Home Ministry and all security agencies have to develop plans to regain the trust of the people and restore law and order. The costs to society, otherwise, will be huge.
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