Kathmandu, Feb 11: Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachand has condemned India for the arrest and handover of the outfit's politburo members Matrika Prasad Yadav and Suresh Ale Magar to Nepal. In a statement posted on the Maoists website, Prachand said Yadav and Ale were arrested and then handed over to regressive feudal military authorities.

Yadav was the member of the rebels’ negotiation team, which held talks with the government last year.

They were arrested in Gorakhpur and handed over to Nepal recently.

Nepal and India have an agreement for co-operation on security related issues and the two countries take appropriate action whenever there is a security threat to either of the nation, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said.

Prachand has also requested the Nepalese and Indian human rights organisations and intellectuals to ensure the safety and release of Maoist leaders.

The rebels have been struggling to establish a communist style republic replacing the present constitutional monarchy.

More than 8,500 people have been killed in the Himalayan kingdom since the insurgency began in 1996. Bureau Report