Nepal Police drive against long hair sparks online outrage

Police authorities in Kathmandu are facing flak from residents following a drive targeting young boys and a few girls for keeping long hair and wearing earrings.

Updated on: Feb 26, 2013, 17:05:38 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Police authorities in Kathmandu are facing flak from residents following a drive targeting young boys and a few girls for keeping long hair and wearing earrings.

On Monday police detained 711 persons including three girls as part of a campaign to bring down incidents of theft, loot and other criminal activities.

But instead of taking action based on past records of those detained, the main criterion behind the action was the length of their hair and their appearance.

After rounding them up from all corners of the city the police took down names, fingerprints and photos of the detainees before handing them over to their parents and guardians.

Some unlucky ones also had their hair cut by the police in presence of their guardians and were warned not sport long hair in future.

“Is it against the law that I want to keep my hair long? Are we being ruled by the Taliban,” nepalnews.com quoted an unidentified youth who was forced to cut his hair short.

The police action has sparked an online outrage with many accusing the authorities of trampling on personal liberty of residents and some demanding an apology from IGP Kuber Singh Rana.

“Who in Nepal Police comes up with idiotic ideas occasionally? What right (do they) have to arrest people for looks,” wrote senior journalist Damakant Jayshi on Twitter.

“Nepal Police has gone into retard mode if you think catching kids with long hair and earrings is going to help you catch the criminals,” wrote Tamu Hoina on Nepal Police’s Facebook page.

“Keep you tweet short or you will be thrown behind bars,” tweeted Sagar Ghimire, another journalist.

Senior police officials could not be contacted for their comments but reports in local media quoted unnamed police officials as defending the move.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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