By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Oct. 1: Soldiers and security men of every nation hardly get leaves during a crucial time or big celebration taking place in their country. Same is the case with Nepali security men while the country marks Badha Dashain or Vijaya Dashami.
Nepal Police, Nepali Army (NA) and the Armed Police Force (APF) have their own but similar nature of Dahain celebration programmes, many of them don’t get leave during the greatest festival of Hindu people.
Nepal Police Headquarters, which is deploying 42,619 police personnel including police in plain cloth across the country, will not take formal leave throughout the festive season, according to police headquarters spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General Bishwo Raj Pokharel.
Nepal Police has a total vacancy of 75,927, but has only 63,927 serving policemen in the force.
According to police headquarters, of the total deployment, 43 SPs, 120 DSPs and other junior police personnel will be in the field during the festival season, DIG Pokharel said.
“The security personnel deputed in the field and stationed in barracks, posts, units and offices from the Police Headquarters to lower police units, will also mark their festival with much fun-fare organising various cultural and religious function at their offices,” DIG Pokharel said.
Apart from regular duty during the festival time, they will also mark the festival like receiving Dashain Tika from their senior police officers in their respective units, high reception, cultural dances and music, he said.
The on-duty police officials, however, can remain in touch with their family members through the audio, video and live mobile conversation to share their feeling, DIG Pokharel said.
Every police unit and office in their Kotghar will sacrifice goats and other animals as per the culture and tradition to mark Dashain festival, he said.
Similarly, DIG and spokesperson of APF Headquarter Suraj Kumar Shrestha said that unless some emergency cases, the Headquarters would not approve any type of leave to any personnel and officer throughout the festival season. Every staff member should remain at their repsective barracks, companies, battalions and divisions will mark the festival organising various cultural and religious functions from Fulpati to Vijaya Dashami.
The APF headquarters has set up 91 help desks at major border areas linked to India in coordination with Seema Suraksha Bal of India, DIG Shrestha said. Those who have their homes near their offices can also go to their homes by managing their duty hours and should again attend the duty in the given hour, he said.
Likewise, the Nepali Army across the country has also planned to mark Dashain festival as per respective duty hours. There is a trend of receiving Dashain tika from their bosses at their respective army barracks, companies, battalions, and divisions.