National
CPN Maoist’s banda affects life across country
The nationwide banda enforced by the Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist against the Indian blockade affected life in various districts on Sunday.The nationwide banda enforced by the Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist against the Indian blockade affected life in various districts on Sunday.
CPN Maoist activists torched a truck (Na 4 Kha 7130) at Nalang along Kalu Panday Marga in Dhading. Truck driver Kamal Prasad Bartaula said three persons stopped the truck and set it on fire. Deputy Superintendent of Police Sabin Pradhan said they were searching for the persons involved in the arson.
Following the incident, police escorted over a dozen tourist vehicles to their destinations in Chitwan and Pokhara.
CPN Maoist supporters also torched a cargo truck (Na 2 Kha 9764) at Paurai forest along the Chandranigahapur-Bagmati stretch of the East-West Highway. The truck was transporting bamboos to Kathmandu from Sunsari.
The banda affected normal life in Butwal and its vicinity throughout the day.
There were no vehicular movement along the East-West Highway and Siddhartha Highway.
CPN Maoist activists also vandalised a car with Indian licence plate at Madan Chowk in Kanchanpur. Police briefly detained six CPN Maoist cadres on charge of vandalism. They were released in the evening.
After the incident, the Indian authorities stopped all Nepal bound vehicles at Gaddachowki in the Nepal-India border point.
In Biratnagar, the CPN Maoist supporters torched a parked truck with Indian licence plate (WB 25 BN 606).
The banda also affected Pyuthan, Kaski, Syangja, Tanahu, Baglung, Gorkha, Gulmi, Arghakhanchi and Myagdi districts.
In Kaski, police arrested 34 CPN Maoist activists for enforcing the banda and obstructing the traffic.
They were released in the evening.
Home minister orders strong highway security
ITAHARI: Home Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet has said that he has instructed the concerned authorities to strengthen highway security to ensure smooth movement of vehicles during the day.
Basnet held meeting with the senior officials of security agencies in Sunsari on Sunday and directed them to step up security in view of the ongoing unrest in the Tarai districts and the attacks on passenger vehicles. After the meeting, Home Minister Basnet told reporters that the government was committed to upholding law and order. The government will not stand violence and crimes perpetrated in the name of demonstration, he said.
Basnet said the government was closely following the activities in Nepal-India border areas. The government will safeguard the country’s sovereignty at all costs, he said, adding that the government’s strained relations with the Indian government would be resolved diplomatically.
Home Minister Basnet said the government was also committed to fighting fuel black marketeering and to making fuel distribution transparent.