Biratnagar, Aug. 12 -- For police in Koshi, the crime challenge is moving beyond the street. Drug trafficking, cross-border smuggling, cybercrime and social media-driven unrest are adding new dimensions to conventional offences such as murder, theft and assault.

Data for the past three fiscal years show a steady rise in the number of criminal cases registered in the province. Police recorded 9,387 cases in 2023-24, 9,461 in 2024-25 and 9,863 in 2025-26, an increase of nearly five percent over the three years.

Of the cases registered last fiscal year, 7,468 accused were arrested, while 2,325 remained at large.

But the changing nature of crime, rather than the overall number of cases, is proving a greater challenge for the provincial pol...