Biratnagar, January 17:

Former security personnel who had deserted the service during the conflict period in Morang district today announced protest programmes beginning from the last week of this month.

The ex-armymen and policemen have been demanding reinstatement of their jobs.

A meeting of the former security personnel held here today, formed the Morang chapter of

Conflict-hit Army and Policemen’s Struggle Committee led by Chandra Bahadur Karki.

The committee said over 300 security personnel were forced to quit their jobs in Morang due to fear, terror and threats during the conflict period.

The committee demanded that the former security men be reinstated to their jobs along with promotion and salary for the period when they were out of the service.

Karki said the protest would be launched from January 25. Some 15,000 army and police personnel had deserted the service across the nation during the decade-long Maoist

insurgency.