ILAM, April 28: The general strike in Ilam and Panchthar has been called off at 2 pm Sunday following talks between banda enforcers and the local authority at the district administration office, Ilam.
The shutdown was called by the CPN-Maoist-affiliated Limbuwan Rastriya Mukti Morcha to press for an unconditional release of its cadres who were held for extortion. [break]
The banda enforcers ended the strike after the local administration agreed to free their fellow cadres and three others who were arrested during the course of banda today, Sindhu, the deputy district in-charge of Ilam, said.
Following the end of strike, vehicles have started plying the streets. Also businesses and marketplaces have started opening that had remained shut for two consecutive days.
Police on Wednesday had arrested five Morcha cadres while they are extorting money from the vehicles at the Pasangtar Bazar along the Mechi Highway. Those held are Bijay Nembang, Yam Prasad Nembang, Chandra Nembang, Ghanendra Nembang of Chilingden-5 of Panchthar and Tej Bahadur Sunuwar of Maimajhuwa, Ilam.
Police had also recovered a khukuri, some cash, and donation receipts from them. All of them have been booked under public offense act.
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