Aagya Khabar
Sarlahi

The entire police staff stationed at the Hirapur Area Police Office in Ward 11 of Barhathwa Municipality, Sarlahi, has been transferred following the public release of a controversial audio clip involving illegal negotiations with a smuggler.

In the audio, which surfaced on Friday, the then in-charge of the Hirapur police post, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Baidyanath Das, can be clearly heard demanding NPR 18,000 from a suspected smuggler. Within hours of the audio becoming public, both ASI Das and constable Santosh Kumar Yadav—mentioned in the recording—were immediately suspended.

Taking serious note of the incident, the District Police Office (DPO) in Sarlahi recalled the remaining eight police personnel stationed at Hirapur to the district headquarters in Malangawa.

According to DSP Saroj Rai, the spokesperson for Sarlahi police, Assistant Sub-Inspector Tulsi Raut from the Barhathwa Area Police Office has been given interim charge of the Hirapur post. Other personnel have been deployed from the DPO in Malangawa.

DSP Rai added that coordination is ongoing with the Provincial Police Office regarding the deployment of a new permanent officer in charge for Hirapur. In the meantime, a special investigation committee, headed by District Police Inspector Bishal Budhathoki, has been formed to verify the authenticity of the audio and probe the incident.

This controversy has once again ignited serious debate around discipline and accountability within the police force. Sources say the incident has raised significant concerns over border security, the handling of smuggling, and the overall role of the police in sensitive areas like Hirapur.

The local community has largely welcomed the decision, viewing it as a delayed but necessary action. Expectations for increased transparency and impartiality in police operations have grown, particularly in sensitive border regions like Hirapur.