As Nepal prepares for the upcoming House of Representatives elections, security agencies have launched a nationwide operation to recover weapons stolen during the September 2025 protests and to track escaped inmates.
Under the “Integrated Election Security Plan–2026″, the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force (APF), and National Investigation Department have deployed special units across all 77 districts. The plan highlights looted arms and missing prisoners as key threats to safe polling.
During the unrest six months ago, roughly 1,300 weapons and nearly 100,000 rounds of ammunition went missing. About 900 weapons have been recovered so far, leaving 400 still unaccounted for. In the same period, around 14,000 inmates escaped, including those under investigation, on trial, or serving sentences, with roughly 4,000 remaining at large.
Authorities are also monitoring potential misuse of explosives and firearms. The government had asked licensed gun owners to hand in their weapons and ammunition until election results are announced, but only about 5,000 of more than 21,000 licensed firearms have been surrendered. Special operations are now targeting individuals or groups who might use looted weapons, exploit registered arms, or create unrest with explosives.
The APF has intensified checks along Nepal’s 1,880-kilometre border with India, sealing international entry points for 72 hours before and on polling day. Of 249 border outposts, around 1,000 additional checkpoints have been set up to monitor movement and inspect goods and travellers.
Officials said that while some measures were in place after the September unrest, fresh steps were needed due to the significant number of weapons and inmates still outside state control. Political groups and parties opposing the elections are also under surveillance to prevent disruption.