Stepping up the offensive against Maoists, Nepalese Army shot dead 81 rebels and arrested over two dozen others overnight in different parts of the Himalayan kingdom.
In the first massive strike against the Maoists since the imposition of a state of emergency on Monday, the army killed 70 rebels in Salyan district, 500 kms west of Kathmandu, as the rebels tried to ambush security personnel, the government mouthpiece `Gorkhapatra` quoting defence ministry officials reported. It said another 11 guerrillas were killed in Dang district, which was the target of Maoists` attacks last week in which over 70 security personnel lost their lives.
According to the daily, over two dozen Maoist cadres have been arrested in Nawalparasi and Makawanpur districts in central Nepal.
Home ministry sources said patrolling has been intensified in Terai districts bordering India. There were also reports of dozens of Maoist cadres resigning from their local parallel governments in the wake of intensified military operations against them.
Bureau Report