Rautahat, August 1:

The cadres of the seven-party alliance and the Maoists today gheraoed the Rautahat district administration office demanding the release of Maoist prisoners.

The cadres of all the eight parties staged a sit-in protest in front of the district administration office main gate at 10:00 am, when the office time began, and disrupted official works.

They have urged the government to release the Maoist prisoners, including Chandeshwor Baitha and also alleged that their arrest was a violation of the agreement reached between the government and the Maoists.

On July 18, when the Maoist cadres had tried to padlock the district administration office, the local leaders of the seven-party alliance had asked them to wait until July 31 and that they would also join the protest if the prisoners were not released by then, said CPN-Maoist’s office in Gaur.

The parties are planning two-hour sit-in protest tomorrow and on Thursday. If their demands were still not met they would lock the DAO office on August 4, Maoist people’s government head, Bindeshwor Raya Yadav, said.