KATHMANDU: Police have arrested 13 CPN (Maoist) cadres including its politburo member Anil Sharma during demonstrations at Shanti Batika.

They were demanding the recall of Nepali nationals working in the Indian Army from risk-prone areas and closing the Gurkha Recruitment Centre.

Nepali national, rifleman Bimal Tamang, serving with the Indian Army, was killed in a Pakistani firing on October 31 along the Line of Control (LoC) near Rajauri of Jammu and Kashmir in India-Pakistan border.

Spokesperson at the Metropolitan Police Range , Kathmandu, Superintendent of Police (SP) Pradyumna Karki said 13 were arrested during the demonstration. He said they were arrested in consideration of peace and security situation.

CPN (Maoist) central member Gunraj Lohani said police arrested Akash Bhetwal, Prakash Dahal, Rabi Gole, Sahash Bhatta, Tanka Joshi, Dhruba Adhikari, Prakash Adhikari along with politburo member Sharma.

The police intercepted the demonstration at the Shanti Batika, which was set to head towards the Indian Embassy at Lainchaur to submit a memorandum, after which the programme to submit a memorandum was cancelled, Lohani added.

The party has demanded respect for the Nepali Gurkha serving in the Indian Army and closure of the Gurkha Recruitment Centre.