People have lost their faith in government and fear for their children to be kidnapped

Despite the end of the civil war, Nepal is in the midst of a severe crime epidemic. Kidnapping gangs roam the capital and an armed insurgency has erupted in the South.

One human rights organisation estimates that over 2,000 people have been kidnapped for ransom. But kidnapping gangs rarely abduct the rich and influential.

Instead they focus on the middle and upper middle classes, who lack political connections.

Since the end of its civil war three years ago the state has been paralysed by political in-fighting which has undermined its fragile coalition government and allowed criminal groups to thrive.
 
In response to the climate of lawlessness, crowds have started to galvanise their collective power through daily demonstrations which have further stunted the already beleaguered economy.

Distrust of the state has reached a point where mobs are now taking justice into their own hands.

The Nepalese people thought peace would bring them security and prosperity, but many feel less safe now than during the conflict.

People & Power investigates the rise in kidnapping gangs and new-armed insurgency.

This episode of People & Power can be seen from Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at the following times GMT: Wednesday: 0600, 1230; Thursday: 0130, 1400, 1930; Friday: 0630, 1630; Saturday: 0330, 2030; Sunday: 0030, 0530; Monday: 0830.