28th August 2020, Kathmandu
Various online commerce and delivery service providers have been operating since the first lockdown in Nepal. However, something ‘absurd’ happened yesterday with the takeaway and delivery service staff and operators.
Few eCommerce service providers were taken under police control for operating their services.
This act by Nepal Police has demoralized the young entrepreneurs and startups.
The vehicle and items of the delivery staff were also taken under police control. A joint forum of Nepal e-commerce and online delivery service operators have requested to create a conducive environment for delivery service.
What Victims Say
Nikita Acharya, Co-Founder of UG Cakes and Urban Girl, posted on Facebook:
She claims to have been arrested randomly. Moreover, she promised to post more stories about the incident and we have that for you.
She posts:
Yesterday two police came to my office directly and in front of a few of my colleagues asked who Nikita Acharya was and also asked if the number they had on their list was mine. I said it is. They asked me to get inside the van outside my office. They did not have any notice, warrant, or anything. One of the policemen called somebody and said, “yehi hunudo raicha, uthaune ho?”. The dude on the other side said “ah uthau uthau”.
Furthermore, police also held operators from other online companies at the station. She claims that there were no proper communications from the authority.
“No written rules, no notice, random arrest. People in Government are still unsure what’s going on,” she wrote.
In this regard, the head of marketing at Foodmandu Shyam Mali also informed that the police have arrested their employees during delivery.
Here is a post from Kiran Timsina, Co-Founder at UG Cakes.
He claims that the police personnel was not following safety precaution. Also, he asks for clarification from Nepal Police regarding the incident.
According to Nikita Acharya, UG cakes has been following the same protocols as the first lockdown.
Kathmandu valley is in lockdown due to a massive spread of coronavirus infection. The district administration offices in Kathmandu valley issued the ban according to Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Spokesperson SP Somendra Singh Rathore.
However, that doesn’t justify arresting operators from their workplace without any information or warrant.
Have your say regarding this incident!
