MAHOTTARI: Police held seven persons during a Jaleshwor bandh called by Unified CPN-Maoist in Mahottari today.

UCPN-M cadres, demanding release of their colleagues, had called the bandh. The District Police Office stated that Maoist cadres, who were involved in forceful closure of shops, were arrested in the afternoon but were released in the evening.

UCPN-M Jaleshwor in-charge Devendra Chaudhari was held on the allegation of mistreating CDO Sagar Mani Parajuli in the latter's office. Similarly, UCPN-M Jaleshwor city committee member Laxman Raut and Ashweshwor Nayak were held on the charge of vandalising the office of the executive officer of Jaleshwor municipality on September 1.

"We will intensify the agitation until their release," UCPN-M district in-charge Mahadev Yadav said. "Our cadres had demanded a probe into the incidents of corruption in Jaleshwor municipality but the administration arrested them," Yadav said. UCPN-M Jaleshwor in-charge Chaudhari, who is in the police custody, conceded that he had mistreated the CDO when the latter did not agree to probe into corruption in the municipality.