Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, February 12

The Janakpur, Narayani and Bagmati zones bandh called today by the three sister organisations of CPN-Maoists — the Madheshi Liberation Front, the Tamang Liberation Front and the Newar Liberation Front — paralysed the life in the area.

In Rautahat, the Maoists triggered a blast on the Dhansara bridge located at the border of Bara and Rautahat districts along the Mahendra Highway this morning. The district police office Rautahat informed that transportation along the sector of road has come to a total halt because of the destroyed bridge.

In Bara, the Maoists hurled a socket-bomb at a vehicle going to Dhansara bridge from Chandrigahpur. ASI Shree Bahadur Thapa and a vehicle driver were injured in the incident. Roads in the district remained deserted throughout the day.

Similarly in Dhadhing, the Maoists vandalised three passengers buses. Last night, a group of 12-15 armed Maoists set ablaze a passenger bus, on its way to Kathmandu from Janakpur, at Khanikhola of Dhadhing district.

They also set ablaze a truck which was transporting paddy to Kathmandu from Nawalparasi. This morning they burnt a private motorcycle on its way to Malekhu from Benighat at Gomtikhola along the Prithvi Highway. Eyewitnesses said that the Maoists hurled burining things at the motorcycle driver Bidur Silwal and threatened him of his life.

The security forces defused a banner bomb near Pachahare of Sangkosh in the morning. The Maoists had organised torch rallies at different places of the district, locals who reached the district headquarters today said.

In Nuwakot, the public transportation service came to a stand still and the business houses and educational institutions remained shut throughout the day. The Maoists blasted a bomb at a bridge over the Betrabati river located some 10 km away from the district headquarters at about five in the morning. The security forces defused another bomb placed at the bridge, a security source said.

In Charikot, the bandh badly affected the life but there was no untoward incident in the district. All the private offices, educational institutions and shops remained closed throughout the day.

The daily activities of the people in Kavre district was also badly affected. All the business centres like Banepa, Dhulikhel, Panauti, Panchkhal, Nala, Sanga, Bhakundebeshi, Dapcha and Dolalghat remained completely shut.

Meanwhile, in Mahendranagar, the district headquarters of Kanchanpur a western district, life there was badly affected by the bandh. No long- route vehicles came into the district and the streets were desterted. People entering Nepal from India were stranded at the border and the business activities were completely shut. With inputs from our correspondents from Rautahat, Bara, Dhadhing, Nuwakot, Charikot, Kavre and Mahendranagar.

In Dhankuta Maoists set ablaze the eastern regional directorate office of the Public Service Commission today morning.

The Maoists ordered the office bearers to come out of the office and lit fire to the building by spraying petrol in the administration room.

They fled the place leaving back a pressure cooker bomb. All the furniture and official documents were gutted in the arson.