KAPILVASTU: After the word spread in the vicinity about the exit of Maoist combatants from the cantonments and subsequent arrest of 20 of them at Jitpur on Monday, a reign of terror gripped the district fearing untoward incident.

Their fear was compounded after they came to know that the cantoned Maoist combatants were freely roaming along with weapons in the area. And, to their dismay, the United Nations Mission in Neal (UNMIN), the entrusted body to check the fighters mobility, did nothing to stop them coming out of the cantonments.

A local said they were not only suspicious over the UNMIN role but also over the commitment expressed by the Maoists.

CA member of Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum Avisek Pratap Shah said that the people were terrorised due to the dual character of the UNMIN and threat of the UCPN-Maoist.

Leader of Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party Brijesh Kumar Gupta said, “The distance between the Maoists and the UNMIN is getting wider, which is dangerous for commoners.''

District chairman of Nepali Congress Rajesh Acharya said the Maoist combatants, who had been terrorising the people, should be punished. “The government should confiscate the weapons seized from the PLA combatants who have been creating terror."

Similarly Santosh Pandey, district coordinator of Matrika Yadav-led Maoist party, said t hat it was UNMIN's negligence that the PLA combatants were roaming with the weapons. He added that the people were compelled to live in terror due to the lawlessness and impunity.

Meanwhile, claiming that the government was spreading unnecessary rumour regarding the incident, deputy secretary of UCPN-Maoists in the district Sanjiv Kumar said, “The combatants have only carried the weapons verified by the UNMIN. Nobody should frighten with the PLA as they are the army of the people.''

Meanwhile, CDO Nagendra Jha said, “There is doubt in the UNMIN's role as the PLA fighters are coming out of the cantonment with large number of weapons without any hindrance time to time." He accused the UNMIN of not being able to judge that which party has violated the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

The locals are surprised when the administration let the detained PLA combatants scot free.