Police on Monday arrested 13 cadres including the chairman of Mongol Mulbasi Rastriya Force, an underground armed outfit, along with fire arms. 

Based on a tip-off, a joint team of Nepal Police’s special bureau on terrorism and Metropolitan Police Office Kathmandu conducted operation to nab the armed cadres.

Chairman of the group, Upendra Gharti Magar, Prithvi Narayan Limbu, Tendi Sherpa, Sachin Limbu, Subas Rai, and Nabin Shrestha, among others have been arrested. Five of them were arrested from Rolpa, two from Sindhupalchok, and the rest from Kathmandu Valley, police said.

According to Bureau DIG Bam Bahadur Bhandari, the cadres of the armed group were held with four pistols, explosives and documents.

They were planning to rob bank, passenger bus, and gold shop and attack police posts, DIG Bhandari informed. “Investigations have revealed that their activities were identical to those of then rebel Maoists during their armed revolt. That’s why we arrested them,” said DIG Bhandari.

He added that the force was involved in criminal activities under the guise of a political group. “They were carrying out criminal activities under political name and objective, and were involved in robbing bank and conducting military training,” he said.

DIG Pratap Singh Thapa said they will be prosecuted under possession of illegal arms and explosives.