KATHMANDU, Jan. 29 -- The dispute between the Nepal Police deployed for security at the Tribhuvan International Airport and the staff of the Department of Immigration (DoI) at the airport on Friday is not a new issue. The tussle between the staff of DoI working at the TIA and the Nepal Police stationed for security has been going on for a long time. Friday's incident in the name of security checks is just the latest episode of the long-standing rivalry.

About 12 years ago, in 2068 BS, the civil servants protested saying that the police were to blame for the suspension of the then chief of DoI, Shadananda Dhakal in the diplomatic passport scam. At that time, the immigration officials were accused of being involved in allowing people with ...