Damak, December 15:

The Maoists today demanded that police posts, which were recently re-established in Korobari, Kohbara and Mahabhara areas, be removed, Gaurigunj police said.

Police inspector Santosh Tamang said: “A group of Maoists entered the police posts and demanded that the police personnel vacate the posts. However, the Maoists returned after locals protested the Maoists’ demand.”

Those police posts were re-established in the first week of Mangsir as per the locals’ demands.

Meanwhile, the situation in Anarmani became tense after another group of Maoists tried to toss police logistics out of the Anarmani police post this morning, the Birtamod police said.

Inspector Gopal Jha said locals and policemen returned the Maoists from there after convincing them. Saying that Maoists’ activities are against the peace accord, Jha said: “No untoward incident occurred there as policemen showed restraint.”

Maoist’s Jhapa district spokesperson Sulav said the removal of police posts was sought as they were re-established without any prior agreement with the Maoists.

Chief District Officer of Jhapa Jay Mukunda Khanal said the re-established posts will not be removed. He added that an all-party meeting including Maoists’ district people’s government chief Harkha Khadka had decided to appeal to the Maoists to discontinue pressurising for the removal of the re-established police posts.

However, Maoists’ people’s government chief and Maoist area number 4 in-charge Khadka said it was the party’s policy to bar the re-establishment of police posts.

Twenty-one police posts, which were displaced during the conflict, have been re-established in Jhapa so far.

The Anarmani police post was re-established in the month of Shrawan. The Maoists are also demanding the removal of a police post re-established in Samshi VDC, Mahottari district.

The police post was established 15 days ago.

The Maoists, saying that the police posts should be re-established only after the Maoists join the government, have asked the policemen to vacate the post. Local leaders of seven parties termed the Maoist act a violation of peace accord and code of conduct.

However, Maoist district secretary Suman said: “The locals, too, have opposed the re-establishment of police posts.” He added that the posts should be re-established only after Maoists join the government.

One Maoist leader said the re-established police posts were being removed in order to pressurise the government to speed up the processes of promulgation of an interim government and the formation of an interim parliament.

SP of Mahottari Rana Bahadur Chand said the policemen would not return from the police posts despite Maoists’ pressure.