• To treat those ignoring warning as outlaws
• Asks people to report threat or extortion demand

Kathmandu, March 24

The Ministry of Home Affairs has warned the general public, businesspersons and all organisations against extending any support or assistance, including donation, to the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal.

“Any person or organisation found acting contrary to the government appeal and assisting the outfit will be treated on a par with the outlawed group and brought to book under the prevailing laws,” read a press statement issued by the MoHA.

The ministry stated that the CPN was behaving like a ‘terrorist’ outfit and appealed to all not to come under the influence of threat, intimidation and inducement of the ‘group’.

“We request everyone to report to police if any threat or extortion demand is made by the group,” the MoHA statement read.

The government has heightened the security level and crackdown on the Chand-led CPN following the decision to ban its activities on March 12. The decision followed a blast outside Nakkhu-based Ncell office on February 22 which killed one person and injured two.

The Chand-led CPN had claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Since then, Nepal Police has stepped up action against the CPN and its leaders and cadres who were banned from organising programmes or participating in rallies and assemblies.

Nepal Police claimed to have confiscated two loaded pistols, explosives, ammunition and communication devices from Hemanta Prakash Oli, a standing committee member and in-charge of the mid-region command of CPN, and eight cadres of the outfit arrested from Kavre district yesterday.

According to police, they have seized two ‘Japan-made’ pistols each loaded with six rounds, 15 additional rounds, five gelatin sticks, five detonators, laptops and dozens of cell phones from them.

Spokersperson for Nepal Police Senior Superintendent of Police Uttam Raj Subedi said Lalitpur District Court remanded Oli and eight cadres to eight-day judicial custody.

He said the arrestees faced charges, including homicide, using explosives and carrying arms and ammunition.

Sources say that the government expects the arrest of CPN standing committee member Hemanta and politburo member Mohan Karki to pressure the outfit to come to the negotiating table.

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