Rupandehi, March 29:

The tension following the murder of Youth Force district member Prachanda Thaiba continued

to grip Rupandehi district for the third day today.

The district chapter of YF demanding that action against the guilty, compensation for the victim’s family and that the deceased be declared a martyr called for a bandh today as well.

The parties in conflict — CPN-UML and Unified CPN-Maoist — though engaged in verbal warfare, however, have made no attempts to hold talks. The district chapter of YF has filed an FIR against Young Communist League central member and Rupandehi chairman Sujit accusing him of the murder.

UML district secretary Lila Giri said, “It would have been easy to open a dialogue had the murderer been handed over to the police.”

Maoist Awadh Rajya Samiti member and Rupandehi co-incharge, Madhav Sharma said, “I talked with UML district secretary Giri over phone and he told me that talks can be held if Sujit was arrested,” Sharma told The Himalayan Times. He said the PM has called Sujit to the capital.

“Police has been planning to arrest Sujit,” CDO Dhrubaraj Wagle said, adding that attempts are underway to hold talks in the presence of both sides and there are chances that talks would be held tomorrow morning. Wagle said the curfew could also be relaxed gradually from tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Sujit has pleaded innocent. “I don’t have any information that the PM has called me to the capital,” Sujit said. “I respect the directives of the party.

If the party directs me, I will facilitate the probe into the murder on the condition that the administration doesn’t act arbitrarily,” he said.