Nepali Guerrillas Leader Arrested

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, November 26, 2001

Nepali Guerrillas Leader Arrested

Nepali police arrested one of the leaders of the underground ultra-leftist guerrillas and 11 guerrillas members Sunday in retaliation to the massive attacks by the guerrillas at police across the country, The Kathmandu Post said Monday.

In a surprise operation, police arrested Rabindra Shrestha, a central committee member of the guerrillas, from his residence along with his wife before they were able to flee, the independent English daily quoted a police officer at the District Police Office in Kathmandu as saying, adding that others arrested are Shrestha's aids and guerrillas workers. Police confiscated a revolver and other ammunitions including communication equipment from Shrestha's residence in the capital, it said. However, the guerrillas side has not confirmed the arrest, according to the daily. The police operation followed the massive guerrillas raids on Friday and Saturday in various parts of the country, killing at least 40 security personnel and civilians.

The guerrillas raids broke down the four-month-long peace process aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the guerrillas insurgency. The three rounds of talks held since August this year between the government and the guerrillas remain inconclusive as the guerrillas demanded the establishment of a republican state, an interim government and a new constitution, which were rejected by the government. The guerrillas insurgency has claimed about 1,800 lives, including policemen, guerrillas members and civilians, since it began in the Himalayan kingdom in 1996.

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