Ganesh Karki, a former police officer who had fled after robbing a woman in Sukedhara, Kathmandu, was apprehended by police after being shot during the arrest. Authorities recovered a gold pendant, a mobile phone, and a kukri knife stolen during the incident from Karki, and his accomplice Vishnu Gurung was also taken into custody. Karki had previously been convicted in cases related to homicide and robbery and escaped from the Central Jail in Sundhara last Bhadra.
On May 30, Kathmandu—At 1:23 PM on Saturday, a woman was robbed in Sukedhara. While walking on the street, someone suddenly threw chili powder into her eyes, causing severe pain. At that moment, two men searched her body, stole a one-tola gold pendant and a mobile phone from her neck, and fled. The victim immediately reported the incident to the police. Using technical analysis and CCTV footage, police advanced their investigation. The Kathmandu District Police Office team identified the suspect as Ganesh Karki, 40, residing in Chapali Badrakali, Budhanilkantha Municipality-3.
According to police, the investigation team arrested Karki at 9:25 PM on Saturday inside the Manohara Khola Corridor of Jadibuti, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-32, just eight hours after the incident. During the arrest, Karki threw chili powder into the officers’ eyes and attempted to attack them with a kukri knife. The police responded with gunfire, taking him into custody. Karki sustained a gunshot wound to his left knee and is currently receiving treatment at the National Trauma Center.
Police recovered the stolen gold pendant, mobile phone, and kukri knife from Karki. His accomplice Vishnu Gurung, originally from Ilam and residing in Dharamshala, was also arrested. Gurung had completed a three-year prison sentence and was facing ongoing charges related to narcotics.
Karki reportedly always carries chili powder with him. During the arrest, police seized chili powder from him. He sprayed chili powder into the eyes of the woman during the robbery in Sukedhara. During the Janajati Movement, he had previously escaped from prison by throwing chili powder at officers.
Superintendent of Police Pawan Kumar Bhattarai stated that Karki’s hallmark is the use of chili powder whether committing crimes or evading arrest. Police reported that Karki also attacked officers with chili powder during an incident in Kapan.
Karki has been apprehended with gunfire nine times within eight months for various crimes. He escaped from the Central Jail Sundhara during the Janajati Movement last Bhadra. Police records show he committed a series of crimes systematically after escaping. When officers tried to arrest him, he fled by spraying chili powder. His criminal activities span locations such as Kapan, Gaushala, Tilganga, and Shantinagar, involving not only theft and robbery but also narcotics cases. He was particularly active in criminal activities near Pashupati and Gaushala areas.
Karki was formerly a police officer, recruited as a constable in 2004 (2061 BS). However, after approximately two years, he left the force in 2007 (2064 BS). Following his departure, he entered the criminal world, engaging in offenses ranging from minor theft to murder. He had previously faced charges of misconduct, possession of illegal weapons, and murder during this time.
Convicted in a homicide case, Karki was arrested on April 15, 2011 (2 Vaishakh 2068 BS) and sentenced to ten years in prison. He was released on October 20, 2021 (3 Ashoj 2078 BS) after a presidential pardon on Constitution Day but continued his involvement in crime thereafter. Since 2021, he had been charged with robbery and had escaped from jail during the Janajati Movement last Bhadra.
After escaping, Karki reportedly fled to India by spraying chili powder on police officers. After spending some time in India, he returned to Kathmandu and resumed his criminal activities.
