Pokhara, June 9

Police arrested 18 cadres of the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal, including district Secretary Bibek Bhandari from Ghandruk of Annapurna Rural Municipality, Kaski, last night.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team surrounded the cadres who were attending a meeting in a building of the  Mother’s Group. Police said all the arrested were brought to Pokhara this morning. Inspector Ganesh Subedi of Kaski District Police Office said the arrested had been kept in custody and further investigation was under way.

Meanwhile, issuing a press release, CPN Kaski In-charge Rupesh has alleged police had arrested 22 cadres of the party not 18. He informed that the arrested were district secretary Bibek Bhandari, All Nepal National Free Student Union-Revolutionary central member and Gandaki Bureau Coordinator Milan Rai, Student Union Kaski Chair Kaji Gurung and Prakash Bastola, among others. It has demanded through the press release the arrested be released without any conditions.