Police release delivery, takeaway service providers after holding them for two hours

KATHMANDU: The police released all the entrepreneurs who were arrested on Thursday after holding them for two hours on the same day.

A total of 65 people including entrepreneurs and delivery personnel providing different delivery and takeaway services within the valley who were apprehended were released on condition that they would discontinue their service till further notice. The police had also impounded their delivery vehicles temporarily.

According to SP of Nepal Police Somendra Singh Rathore who is posted at Kathmandu Metropolitan Range, the police were compelled to arrest the entrepreneurs because they continued to provide their services even after a three-point notice was issued by the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, on August 26.

“The notice clearly mentions that medical shops can stay open throughout the day and people delivering essential goods including food items like milk, water, vegetables, among others, can do so till 9am. The notice also states that while doing so all the necessary health safety protocols need to be followed,” stated Rathore.

“The entrepreneurs who were detained opined that they were selling essential food items but they were delivering momos, pizzas and burgers, which are not essential at the moment,” he said, adding,“Based on the notice, firstly people cannot sell non-essential products during the lockdown and furthermore, the notice does not mention about allowing takeaway and delivery services to operate.”

The police had stopped delivery vehicles on August 26 but they continued to ignore our request and were operating on Thursday too, mentioned Rathore.

SunitaNhemaphuki, co-founder of R & D Solution, whose delivery vehicle was impounded for three hours on Wednesday, was initially unaware of the reason why her vehicles were detained. She says that she came to know the reason only the next day. “I keep myself abreast with all the notices published by the CDO every day and this came as a surprise,” she adds.

“Yes, there was a notice that shops selling essential products can be opened till 9am, however, there was no indication that online delivery and takeaway services are prohibited. So within that limited time we were delivering our agro-based products in many places,” explained Nhemaphuki.

She said that instead of arresting the entrepreneurs straightaway the police should have at least cautioned them first. “Many entrepreneurs were arrested from their offices, which has a direct impact on not only them personally but their company and the team,” laments Nhemaphuki, adding, “Arresting the entrepreneurs from their offices is like a form of harassment.”