Govt on offensive in east hills

Ratna Prasad Acharya

KHOTANG: Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have launched a joint operation in the eastern hill districts in line with the special security strategy introduced recently by the government.

Khotang Chief District Officer Keshavraj Acharya told this correspondent that District Security Committee had given its go-ahead to the joint operation.

The offensive is meant to curb the activities of the Kirant Janabadi Workers’ Party, whose cadres have been terrorising civilians, committing murders, abducting people for ransom, attacking police posts and indulging in extortion in the name of donation for some years, Acharya said.

Since several outfits have been affecting law and order in the eastern hilly districts, the government established APF base camps in eight districts, including Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Bhojpur, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu and Udaypur under the special security strategy and has intensified security operations.

Khotang district DSP Rupam Lama said the cadres of the Kirant Janabadi Workers Party and Matrika Yadav-led CPN-Maoist had been extorting people in the name of donation drive.

“We have started the security operation by coordinating with security chiefs of other districts,” Lama said, adding, “We will arrest the persons involved in criminal activities and file cases as per legal provisions.”

He claimed that cadres and activists of major political parties were also involved in criminal activities.

“Action will be taken against anyone involved in criminal activities,” he added. Leaders of major political parties mount pressure for the release of criminals if they are arrested, Lama alleged.

Sixteen base camps of APF have been established in eight hilly districts under the special security strategy in the eastern region.

A team of 30 APF personnel led by an inspector has been deployed in each base camp, ASI at APF base camp in Diktel said.

Security personnel have been deployed in large numbers in Khotang, Bhojpur, Okhaldhunga, Solukhumbu, Udaypur and Sankhuwasabha districts.

The Kirant Janabadi Workers’ Party, meanwhile, issued a press release on Friday evening, stating that it will hold talks with the government.

The release issued by Hansa Kiranti, a central secretariat member of the party, stated that the party was ready to hold talks with the government to redress their woes.