Armed groups raising heads in east

BIRATNAGAR, May 16: The armed groups in the hills and Tarai in eastern region have jointly expedited their ´armed actions´.



Since the beginning of the Nepali New Year, the armed groups have attacked police posts, burnt VDC buildings, kidnapped many people and demanded huge donations even from VDC secretaries. While armed factions in eastern hills have targeted public property, in Tarai the armed groups seem to be targeting the police. [break]



The Akhil Tarai Mukti Morcha, which took responsibility of kidnapping Siraha-based Nepali Congress leader Bal Krishna Yadav, has said that it will avenge if demanded ransom is not paid.



When the chairman of Madhes Virus Killers, Amarendra Goit, was arrested last month from Biratnagar, the police team was led by Sub-Inspector Sunil Yadav, who is the son of NC leader Bal Krishna.



“We kidnapped Yadav´s father as he arrested two of our activists,” a Morcha leader told journalists over the phone.



Yadav is posted at Regional Police Office in Biratnagar. Morcha has demanded release of its cadres in lieu of Bal Krishna´s life.



Jyoti Jha, a middleman, said that since the armed groups feel that the government is only buying time in the name of negotiations, they have strengthened their ´armed actions´. Madhes Virus Killers had sat for talks with the former Maoist-led government.



Jha further said that the Kirat Janawadi Workers´ Party (KJWP) attacked the police post at Nunthala in Khotang recently as they were angry at the arrest of their talks coordinator Suman Kirati in Jhapa.



KJWP had looted weapons from Khotang and torched the Duwagadhi VDC office in Jhapa. The group had also locked various VDC offices in Khotang, Okhaldunga and Bhojpur.



According to Insec, VDC secretaries from eastern hills are leaving villages as the armed groups have sought Rs 300,000 each from them. The KJWP also detonated bomb at the VDC office in Haasposa, Sunsari on Friday night saying it was not paid donations.



After the armed groups became very active, Nepal Police Inspector General Ramesh Chand Thakuri paid an inspection visit to central Tarai and hill districts last month. Although he gave strict direction “to leave no stone unturned to maintain law and order,” police have not been able to contain activities of armed groups.

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