Kathmandu, May 10

Police today arrested the chairman of the student wing aligned to the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal from Anamnagar.

A special team of Metropolitan Police Range took Chiranjeevi Dhakal into custody as he emerged from a press meet organised in Anamnagar-based Union House to pressure the government ‘to end privatisation and commercialisation in education and health sectors and initiate action against officials involved in corruption scams, including the widebody purchase deal’.

Dhakal, 30, hails from Tarkeshwor Municipality, in Kathmandu.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati said the All Nepal National Free Students Union-Revolutionary leader was not only an activist of the party outlawed by the government, but also one of the prime suspects in cases of extortion. “Investigation is under way to establish his connection with destructive activities and violence reported from across the country,” he said.

Police are set to produce Dhakal before Kathmandu District Court tomorrow, seeking judicial remand.

Following a series of explosions targeting Ncell towers and other public places across the country, the government had banned the Chand-led CPN on March 12 and issued an arrest-on-sight order of its leaders and cadres by treating them as ‘terrorists’ for posing serious threat to peace and security.

Since then, police have arrested many of the party leaders and workers, including Hemanta Prakash Oli, a standing committee member and in-charge of the mid-region command of CPN.

According to police, nearly 230 leaders and cadres of CPN were apprehended and charged for their involvement in destructive activities after the government outlawed the party. Police have stepped up crackdown on CPN and are gathering intelligence that may lead to arrest of its senior leaders.