Kathmandu, September 2:

Forty-two of the 43 cadres of the Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL), who were arrested on August 14, were released today following a half-an-hour protest programme in Kathmandu.

The YCL organised a rally from Sundhara that went through Tripureswor, Thapathali, Maitighar and the prohibited Southern gate of Singhadurbar, demanding their release. The protesters handed over a memorandum to Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula at his office.

The YCL men, then, converged into a mass meet at Maitighar Mandala that was addressed by Maoist leader Jhakku Subedi, All Nepal Trade Union Federation vice-president Badri Bajgain and general-secretary of the ANNWA-R Amrita Thapa. Asked whether the protest plans were called off following the release of the YCL cadres he said the protests would continue unless another YCL cadre Sujan Thapa was released.