Police on October 18 filed a case of sedition against 21 Netra Bikram Chand Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoists-Chand) leaders and cadres who were arrested on October 16 from Rajpur Rural Municipality-4 of Dang District in Province No. 5, reports Republica. Those arrested are Chandra Bahadur Chand, the elder brother of Netra Bikram Chand, Rapti Bureau in-charge Keshav Bahadur Bantha Magar, Rapti Bureau and justice department committee district coordinator Yamlal Katuwal, district secretary Pradeep Oli, Youth Organization Nepal central member Babin KC, CPN-Maoists-Chand-affiliated Sunil Paudel, area number 4 in-charge and people’s council member Ekraj Chaudhary and area number 1 in-charge Dhan Bahadur Bohara. Former Maoist combatant Tilak Pun, district chairman of Dalit Liberation Front Suraj BK, member Hit Prasad Roka, and Rolpa district committee members Posta Man Gharti, Dal Bahadur Khatri, Bal Krishna Sharma, Jit Chhetri, Ramesh Acharya, Bishnu Thapa and Kul Bahadur Oli are also among those arrested. Police have also recovered six pistols, five rifle bullets and explosives, among other things, from those arrested.
According to Provincial Police Office, Tulsipur, a total of 192 leaders and cadres of CPN-Maoists-Chand have been arrested from Province 5 so far. Of those, 44 were arrested from Dang alone. Likewise, a total of 28 cadres have been arrested from Rolpa, 19 from Nawalparasi, and 16 each from Bardiya, Pyuthan and Kapilvastu, according to the Provincial Police Office. Similarly, Police have also arrested 11 leaders and cadres of CPN-Maoists-Chand from Banke, 10 from Arghakhanchi, six from Rukum, and five each from Palpa and Gulmi.