The Chabahil area in Kathmandu witnessed an appalling display of lawlessness on Saturday and Sunday when mobs protesting Saturday’s deaths of a motorcyclist and a pillion rider in a road traffic accident smashed up vehicles indiscriminately and blocked traffic, making those who had nothing to do with the accident suffer delays and property loss. Instead of letting the police deal with the accident by tracing the absconding driver of the bus that killed the youths, some vandals considered themselves the law and took control of the streets for two days in a row.
On Sunday, anarchy peaked to a level that is rare even by our standards where road rage is almost a daily reality. A mob smashed the windshield and windowpanes of a parked van of Saipal Academy at Sukedhara with at least half-a-dozen school children still trapped inside. Defenseless, little children carrying school bags somehow managed to jump out of the van in utter terror, while the barbarians continued smashing the van oblivious of the children’s cries. Some of the children lost balance and tumbled onto the street after jumping off the van.
The barbaric act will certainly leave a psychological scar on the children and deplete their trust on grown-ups. Their parents will have a hard time convincing them that Kathmandu’s streets are safe and they can go to school in a school van once again.
Blocking traffic and vandalizing vehicles is a widespread malady in Nepal. It is the favorite method of political parties to press for their demands. But people are no longer in the mood to accept this as a legitimate political tool. On Sunday, commoners retaliated against a Maoist banda in Biratnagar and Banepa. This is a message to the political parties that people are fed up with street blockades and bandas.
But street is also the favorite place to protest for the flimsiest of reasons and for sadistic vandals who take advantage of anarchy by drawing sick pleasure out of the sufferings of others. Blockades and vandalism on the streets cannot help families of those who get killed in road traffic accidents get justice. Instead, it results in more injustice.
Police inaction against such vandals has encouraged the spread of this unacceptable culture. Police must make strong examples out of those who attacked the school van and other vehicles in Chabahil and Sukedhara. The streets must be made safe.
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