Man Arrested For Allegedly Assaulting Female Traffic Police Officer In Kathmandu’s New Baneshwor
A man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a female police officer on duty in Kathmandu’s New Baneshwor. The incident began after the officer asked him to use an overhead pedestrian bridge, while the full sequence of events remains under investigation.
· 3 min read
KATHMANDU, August 25, 2026
A 27-year-old man has been arrested after assaulting a female police officer who was on duty in Kathmandu’s New Baneshwor area on Tuesday morning.
According to Kathmandu District Police Range SP Dan Bahadur Thapa, the arrested individual has been identified as Raj Kathayat, originally from Tatopani Rural Municipality-2, Jumla, and currently residing in Baneshwor-10, Kathmandu.
Police said the incident occurred after the officer asked him to use the overhead pedestrian bridge instead of crossing the road directly.
What Happened In New Baneshwor?
According to police, the female police officer was deployed for traffic management when she noticed a pedestrian attempting to cross the road from an unsafe location.
The officer reportedly asked Kathayat to use the designated overhead bridge to cross the road.
A video of the incident circulating online shows the manthe man physically striking the female officer.
Following the incident, police took Kathayat into custody.
Police Action After The Incident
SP Dan Bahadur Thapa confirmed that the individual was arrested following the alleged assault.
Attacking an on-duty police officer is considered a serious offence, particularly when the officer is performing responsibilities related to public safety and traffic management.
Further investigation is expected to determine the complete circumstances surrounding the confrontation.
The Traffic Rule Behind The Dispute
The incident began over a basic road safety issue: the use of a pedestrian bridge.
Pedestrian bridges are designed to reduce risks for both pedestrians and drivers, especially in busy urban areas where crossing directly through traffic can lead to accidents.
Authorities regularly encourage pedestrians to use designated crossing points, including:
Overhead bridges
Zebra crossings
Signal-controlled crossings
Following traffic rules is a shared responsibility, and unsafe road crossing can put both pedestrians and motorists at risk.
Video Raises Questions About The Full Sequence Of Events
While the available video appears to show the man hitting the female officer, it also captures Kathayat claiming that the police officer hit him first.
However, the available police information has not confirmed that claim.
The exact sequence of events, including what happened before the physical confrontation, should be established through a proper investigation using available evidence, witness statements, and any additional footage from the area.
Why Body Cameras Could Help In Such Situations
The incident has also renewed discussion about transparency during interactions between law enforcement officers and citizens.
Body cameras for traffic and field officers could provide independent evidence during disputes, helping:
Establish what actually happened
Reduce false accusations against officers or citizens
Improve accountability
Build public trust
Many countries use body-worn cameras as a tool to document encounters between police and the public, particularly in situations where disagreements can escalate.
Balancing Enforcement And Accountability
Traffic enforcement requires consistency. Officers must ensure that citizens follow road safety rules, while citizens are expected to cooperate with lawful instructions from authorities.
At the same time, maintaining public confidence requires transparency in how enforcement is carried out.
The New Baneshwor incident highlights the importance of both sides:
Citizens must respect traffic rules and avoid violence during disagreements.
Police actions must remain professional, fair, and accountable.
A proper investigation into the incident will be important to establish the facts and ensure responsibility is determined based on evidence.
Key Points
A 27-year-old man was arrested after allegedly assaulting a female police officer in New Baneshwor.
Police identified the man as Raj Kathayat from Jumla, currently living in Kathmandu.
The dispute reportedly began after the officer asked him to use an overhead pedestrian bridge.
Video footage appears to show a physical confrontation, but the full sequence remains subject to investigation.
The incident has raised discussions about traffic discipline and the need for transparent evidence during police-public disputes.
Published 2 hours ago in Society