Kathmandu, March 23

Police arrested Hemanta Prakash Oli, 53, a standing committee member and in-charge of the mid-region command of Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal and eight other cadres of the outfit this morning from Kavre district.

Oli had owned up the Ncell blast.

Government sources expect the arrest of Oli, one of the four key leaders of the outfit, and Mohan Karki, politburo member of the party, to put pressure on the outfit to come to the negotiating table.

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa’s political Adviser Surya Subedi told THT, “We are ready to hold dialogue with the Chand-led group and we are discussing this issue with officials of security agencies at the home ministry.” The Chand-led group has been avoiding dialogue with the government.

The eight other leaders and cadres of the Chand-led group who were arrested today are Dharma Raj Rajbahak, Ram Krishna Khatiwada, Bijaya Shrestha, Lalit Tamang, Shankar Adhikari, DevGhimire, Sanjiv Karki and Lokendra Khadka.

According to police, a joint team deployed from the special bureau, the central investigation bureau and the district police apprehended Oli and others during a search operation

from Milche area of Khanikhola Rural Municipality, Kavrepalanchowk, at 4:50 am today while they were traveling towards Kathmandu in a jeep.

Police spokesperson Uttam Raj Subedee told THT, “We nabbed nine leaders and cadres of Chand’s group.”

Police sources said the leaders arrested today would face charges under homicide and arms and ammunition laws.  Police have seized a pistol and some explosives from Oli and his team.

One person was killed and two were injured on February 22 when the Chand-led group blasted a bomb near the gate of Ncell office in Lalitpur.

Oli, the leader of the group, had owned up the Ncell blast. Sources said Oli was in Ramechhap during the Ncell blast. Police will file a case against Oli and other cadres of the outfit after interrogation.

According to police, a joint team of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force was searching for Oli. Police were able to arrest Oli and his team members after they discovered the location of the mobile phones they were using.

Oli was under police watch after he owned up the Ncell blast.

The government has decided to adopt carrot and stick approach to rein in the cadres and leaders of the group.

A few days ago,  police had  arrested Mohan Karki, a politburo member of the outfit from Lalitpur and four cadres, including Shiva Dhital, NripBahadurBishworkarma, DikendraRai and BishalTamang from Kafaldanda on March 20, but Oli managed to escape that day.

Police have intensified action against CPN after the government banned the outfit.

Oli was central committee member of Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) in 1997. He resigned from the party in April 2015 to form his own  ‘Communist Nucleus Nepal’ which he merged with the Chand-led party one-and-a-half years ago.