Nepal police accused of using station as butcher's

A group of Nepal police officers are being investigated for operating a butcher's shop from their station and slaughtering goats when they should have been fighting crime, according to the force.

The officers in the station on the outskirts of the capital Kathmandu are accused of taking livestock from members of the public and killing and carving up the animals to be sold.

"Locals used to bring their goats and the police personnel helped them to slaughter them," said Dhiraj Pratap Shah, Deputy Superintendent of Kathmandu Police.

"There was empty ground and easy availability of water in the police station. Goat meat was sold by locals from the police station area."

Junior police officers in Kathmandu earn just 9,000 rupees ($110) a month and often top up their salaries with second jobs.

But the 10 officers under investigation claim they were not charging and were helping out as a service to the community.

"We have transferred the officer in charge for his failure to execute his police duties properly," said Shah. "He is supposed to maintain law and order."