The Nepal Police Headquarters has transferred five Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) on March 2, with one officer now under investigation.
Among them, DSP Nishant Srivastava, who was stationed in Lamjung, has been reassigned to the Supervision and Monitoring Division at the Nepal Police Headquarters in Naxal. DSP Resham Bohara has taken his place in Lamjung. While the police have not officially revealed the reason behind Srivastava’s transfer, a committee has been quietly formed to investigate him.
The investigation follows an unusual incident on February 23, when an Indian police team from Punjab raided a restaurant in Nagarjuna, Kathmandu, without informing Nepalese authorities. As soon as Nepal’s high-level police officials learned about the operation, security was tightened across the capital, and all Kathmandu checkpoints were closed. A thorough inspection of outgoing passengers was also conducted.
The Indian team, led by police officer Bikramjit Singh, was reportedly searching for a fugitive accused of murder in Punjab. However, their unauthorized action raised concerns, leading Nepal Police to detain the seven-member group for a day. The arrested officers included Surendrajit Singh, Birendrajit Singh, Pushpendra Singh, Gagandip Singh, Rabindra Pratap Singh, and Manish Singh.
During interrogation, it was revealed that DSP Srivastava had assisted the Indian officers without informing his superiors. “They contacted the Lamjung DSP, and he was seen helping them,” a police source stated. Following this revelation, an internal investigation was launched against him.
A senior Nepal Police official emphasized that such operations should involve proper coordination between both countries’ law enforcement agencies. “If there had been official communication, this issue could have been avoided,” the official added.
Despite the controversy, Nepal Police has kept details of the investigation under wraps. The department has also refrained from making any official statement regarding the Indian officers’ unauthorized actions. “This is an internal police matter and does not need public disclosure,” Nepal Police spokesperson DIG Dinesh Acharya commented.
DSP Srivastava, known for his strong track record, is now under scrutiny for assisting the Indian police without higher-level approval. The reasons behind his involvement remain unclear.
The detained Indian officers were handed over to the Indian Embassy on February 24. Reports suggest that the embassy questioned them about their unsanctioned raid in Nepal. A senior police official confirmed that the Indian team was unarmed and was released after notifying the embassy.
The Indian police had entered Nepal based on intelligence that a fugitive involved in multiple murders in Punjab was hiding there. Previously, Indian authorities had requested Nepal Police’s assistance in apprehending the suspect, and Nepal’s Special Bureau had already been searching for him.
While Nepal and India have collaborated on criminal investigations in the past, unauthorized police operations in another country remain highly sensitive. Nepal Police was put on high alert after discovering that the Indian officers continued their search independently instead of coordinating with local authorities.
