Nepal Verified News
Fri Jun 05 2026
Authorities in Siraha have destroyed mobile phones and smartwatches worth more than Rs 10 million that were confiscated from students during examinations.
The devices were destroyed at the Education Development and Coordination Unit in the presence of local officials, education committee members, and journalists.
The destroyed items included seven iPhones, 489 Android mobile phones, and five smartwatches. Officials said the total value of the devices was over Rs 10 million.
The action was taken following a directive issued by former Madhesh Province Education Minister Rani Sharma Tiwari, which stated that any mobile phone found being used during examinations would be destroyed. The District Examination Coordination Committee concluded that the seized devices had been used in violation of exam rules and approved their destruction.
A five-member committee led by Rajdev Yadav, a section officer at the Education Development and Coordination Unit, was formed to manage the process. Representatives from the District Administration Office, Nepal Police, and the National Investigation Department were also included.
According to police, most of the phones were kept in water-filled drums for 24 hours before being destroyed. Waterproof devices were first broken and then submerged in water to ensure they could not be used again.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ramesh Kumar Pal said the decision was made by the coordination committee and not by the police alone.
Chief District Officer (CDO) Surendra Paudel said auctioning the phones could create security risks in the future.
However, the move has sparked criticism on social media after videos of the destruction surfaced online. Many people argued that the phones should have been returned to parents after imposing fines on students instead of being destroyed.
Others expressed concern that expensive devices bought with parents’ hard-earned money were destroyed without considering the impact on families.
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