Security agencies intensify patrol

Dec 4, 2017-Security agencies have detained 284 people who were found carrying guns and explosive materials with an intent to disrupt the election process, from various parts of the country.

Till Sunday evening, police have arrested 581 people, mostly belonging to the Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN party, for their alleged involvement in anti-election activities.

A large number of guns and explosive materials, including 54 guns, have been seized during the operations, the Nepal Police said.

Police have arrested 10 people, who were directly involved in various incidents of blast across the country, including in Udayapur and Shankhuwasabha.

“We have made a huge progress in controlling anti-election activities in the last couple of days,” said Nepal Police Spokesperson Manoj Neupane, attributing to security agencies’ “intensive and effective” checking and patrolling.

Amid a series of blasts in the Capital and other parts of the country in the run up to the second phase of elections, the Ministry of Home Affairs has instructed the security agencies to take aggressive measures to quell anti-poll activities.

As well as the cadres of the Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN, who are believed to be involved in anti-poll activities, police have also started detaining some other people including a number of Indian nationals for their alleged involvement in such activities.

However, the Chand-led Maoist party has not claimed responsibility for any of such activities. According to officials, some criminal groups are also taking advantage of the fragile situation.

“During the election process, some individual and groups who want to sell guns and explosive materials will be active. We have also arrested some people, who are involved in such activities but are not aligned with any political groups,” said an official requesting anonymity.

Cadres of CK Raut and Jai Krishna Goit are seen as major security threats in the Tarai, according to MoHA. “Security forces are taking both proactive and reactive measures to foil anti-poll activities,” said Home Ministry Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Sharma Duwadi.

In the wake of recent incidents, the ministry has also instructed security forces to revise their security plans to tackle new threats.

Police have increased vigilance at offices of the political parties, candidates and high-level officials.

Apart from some sporadic incidents of blast, the situation is fully under control, the ministry said. “We are working in full strength with intensive preparations to provide security for the polls,” said Dawadi. 

IED hurled at DPM Shrestha

SYANGJA: An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was hurled at Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education Gopalman Shrestha in Bhirkot Municipality-9 on Sunday.

Minister Shrestha was returning from an election rally when an unidentified person threw the IED at the Scorpio (Ba 13 Cha 2027) he was riding on, said police.

There were no casualties. Shrestha is the Nepali Congress candidate for the federal parliament from Syangja-2 in the upcoming elections slated for December 7. (PR)


Published: 04-12-2017 08:30


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