Charikot, August 17:

Dolakha district administration today released 17 Maoist cadres, arrested for manhandling CDO Krishna Prasad Sapkota on July 29, on bail of Rs 500 each.

The Maoist cadres were charged under Public Offence Act and were produced before the DAO today.

Satyen Manadhar of Kathmandu, Ritu Lama of Kathmandu, Bam Bahadur Ghalan of Hetauda, Arjun Shakya of Bhaktapur, Buddha Lama of Lalitpur, Santosh Thapa of Kathmandu, Dil Kumar Shah of Kathmandu, Suresh Maharjan of Lalitpur, Bel Bahadur Tamang of Kavrepalanchowk, Durga Rai of Kathmandu, Dhurba Magar of Kavrepalanchowk, Man Bahadur Tamang of Kavrepalanchowk, Bir Bahadur Gole of Kathmandu, Raj Kumar Tamang of Kavre, Tirtha Lama and Padambir Lama of Ramechhap and Krishna BC of Bhaktapur were released on bail.

Meanwhile, a release issued by Maoist regional in-charge Bishal Khadka said their protest programme of boycotting the local administration was on.