Ride-hailing driver’s self-immolation sparks debate over municipal police’s jurisdiction, aggression

The self-immolation of a 25-year-old ride-hailing driver has ignited a fierce debate over the authority and aggressive conduct of Kathmandu's municipal police. Ganesh Nepali died from severe burn injuries after setting himself ablaze in protest when officers locked his motorcycle wheel outside the Department of Passports.

Eyewitnesses described the municipal officers' actions as high-handed, leading to Nepali's desperate act. His death has brought long-standing grievances against the city's municipal police to a head. Critics, including legal experts and former security officials, argue that the local administration has consistently exceeded its constitutional limits. They contend that the municipal police, intended as a regulatory and facilitation body, have adopted aggressive tactics resembling those of the federal Nepal Police.

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The legal framework does not envision the municipal police as a force authorised to use physical coercion or riot-control tactics. Their primary mandate is to facilitate administrative functions within the metropolis through persuasion and community engagement.

Senior advocate Raju Chapagain stated that the legal framework does not empower municipal police to use physical coercion or riot-control tactics. "Their primary mandate is to facilitate administrative functions within the metropolis through persuasion and community engagement," he explained. Chapagain added that traffic or obstruction issues should be referred to the traffic police, not met with the municipal officers' documented actions of chasing vendors, confiscating property, and assaulting citizens.

The aggressive posture of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City police reportedly intensified after Balendra Shah became mayor in 2022. His tenure has been marked by a hardline approach to urban management, including the forceful clearance of pavements and informal street markets. This approach has led to numerous violent confrontations and growing public concern over the perceived lack of compassion for the city's poorest residents. A March 2024 incident where a street vendor was severely beaten by municipal officers, and a prior clash injuring ten officers during a standoff with vendors, highlight the escalating tension.

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When issues arise regarding traffic or street obstructions, the matter should be referred directly to the traffic police. Instead, we have witnessed municipal officers relentlessly chasing vendors, confiscating private property, and physically assaulting citizens, which is entirely illegal.