Surkhet :Several police outposts in the Himalayan districts of Karnali Province are being relocated to district headquarters after heavy snowfall and extreme cold made it difficult to continue operations in high-altitude areas.
According to DIG Madhav Shrestha, Chief of Karnali Province Police, eight police outposts are being moved — six from Dolpa district and one each from Humla and Mugu.
“The snowfall and freezing temperatures have forced both local residents and police personnel to move down to lower areas,” DIG Shrestha told. “The relocation is being done in coordination with local governments and based on recommendations from the District Security Committees.”
He added that the Nepal Police Headquarters has also granted approval for the relocation. Once the weather improves and villagers return to their settlements, the outposts can be re-established anytime.
In Humla’s Namkha Rural Municipality–6, police teams stationed in Til, Halji, and Jang villages have already returned to Simkot. Similarly, six police outposts from Upper Dolpa have begun moving to the district headquarters, Dunai.
The police offices being shifted include Namdo, Tinje, Bhijer, Dho, Bes Taske, and Rap outposts. In Mugu district, the Mugum Area Police Office has also been relocated to the district headquarters.
DIG Shrestha explained that during winter, life in the high Himalayas becomes extremely difficult, with roads blocked and temperatures dropping to dangerous levels. “When villages become inaccessible and food supplies can’t reach the posts, it becomes risky for officers to stay,” he said.
He added that if needed, the police teams could be redeployed at any time. “Otherwise, they will return to their posts around April or May when conditions improve,” Shrestha informed.
