Dhamila Chaulagain

Birendranagar Municipality has provided 10,000 Nepali Rupees in compensation to a street vendor following public outrage over an incident involving municipal police. The vendor, Dhamila Chaulagain, had her basket of wild fruits overturned during a roadside management operation, an act captured on video and widely shared on social media, leading to criticism of the local government.

Municipal police units across Nepal are facing widespread criticism and public outrage due to aggressive enforcement tactics and mistreatment of citizens, particularly street vendors and informal workers. Recent incidents in Surkhet, Butwal, and Sunsari have highlighted concerns about the conduct of municipal police and the systems that recruit and train them, with local governments acknowledging issues and promising action. In Birendranagar, the municipality apologized to a woman mistreated by police while selling bayberry and offered compensation.