Kathmandu, June 23: The government is advancing plans to procure weapons and crowd-control gear worth Rs 990 million for the Nepal Police by the end of the fiscal year 2024/25, despite ongoing economic hardships. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Police Headquarters have already started the procurement process under a Rs 1 billion budget allocation.

According to a source at Police Headquarters, the purchase includes 9 mm pistols and shotguns. Although the police have not acquired lethal weapons in recent years, preparations are now underway, without any formal needs assessment. “Non-lethal tools are needed, but lethal arms are being pushed forward,” the source noted.

Police have reportedly been directed to buy lethal weapons despite their questionable necessity. A procurement syndicate involving the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police allegedly monopolizes supply contracts, often influenced by the Prime Minister’s Office. The same business group that lobbied for this year’s allocation reportedly gained momentum after IGP Deepak Thapa endorsed the proposal.

An official from the Home Ministry criticized the decision, citing the economic crisis and alleging the move favors select arms dealers and political commissions. The urgency appears linked to a royalist protest on March 28, 2025. Similar justifications had been used during past elections when the police borrowed arms from the Army. “This time, they want to avoid borrowing—but no valid reason for lethal weapons has been provided,” the source said.

On May 2, 2022, the previous government had approved a similar purchase under public procurement rules, but shelved it after public backlash. That Rs 939.975 million plan included folding shotguns and 9 mm pistols.

Earlier, on July 5, 2021, the Nepal Army handed over 300 firearms to the police, part of a decision made on May 31, 2021, to transfer over 10,800 rifles and 1.49 million rounds of ammunition free of cost. The support aimed to enhance police capacity in VIP protection, training, and event security. “Rather than focus on defined non-lethal criteria, intermediaries seem to be driving the current plan,” a police headquarters official said.

People's News Monitoring Service