KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 14

Chief of the Nepali Army Purna Chandra Thapa has directed all units to remain ‘alert’ and minutely investigate activities of the outlawed Netra Bikram Chandled Communist Party of Nepal.

During his field trip to various brigades and barracks across the country, Thapa directed army personnel to be more vigilant saying that the Chand-led group have declared people’s government in Kalikot, bombed various places and killed innocent people including school teachers.

“Let us not be surprised by some unwanted activities of the group led by Biplav (Netra Bahadur Chand), so be prepared,” sources said, citing the chief of army.

NA Spokesperson Shantosh Ballave Poudyal said it was part of regular army duty. “The chief has asked all of us to work together with provincial and local governments in relation to the increased non-constitutional work of the armed group,”

Poudyal said.

The direction has come a few days after the chiefs of all security agencies held a meeting a few days ago with the Minister of Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa.

Sources at the home ministry said all security agencies’ chiefs had suggested to Minister Thapa that activities of the Chand-led Maoists should be controlled before they got out of hand.

Minister Thapa’s direction on the matter, however, has not come out formally.

Sources in the ministry said the decision on the Chand-led group was handed over to the Office of the Prime Minister. The group’s activities drew the attention of all after it abducted and killed the principal of Saraswoti Preliminary School Rajendra Kumar Shrestha at Miklajung Municipality of Morang on December 8.

The principal’s body was found in a forest one kilometre away from his house.

Shrestha’s hands were tied and his throat had been slit.

The Chand-led CPN later took responsibility of the act.

The government had, in March last year, branded the Chand-led CPN a criminal outfit and banned its political activities. The decision came after a series of explosions attacking Ncell towers and other public places across the country. The outlawed group has been underground for the last two years and extorting from people. Police have arrested hundreds of CPN cadres.