Chitwan, October 3:

Guerrillas of the Maoist People’s Liberation Army’s third division at Shaktikhor in Chitwan today kicked up a shindig and staged a blockade of the East-West highway when police prevented them from carting timber into their camp at Shaktikhor.

Claiming that the police stopped them from taking the timber that was meant for camp-building purposes, PLA guerrillas blocked the highway at Gondrang of Bharatpur municipality at around 7 pm.

PLA division secretary Abiral said the timber was being taken to the camp as per the agreement with the government.

He said PLA personnel carted 10,000 cubic feet of timber yesterday and today and added that the highway blockade would not be lifted until they were allowed to take the timber. Chitwan deputy superintendent of police Keshav Raj Rathaur said the PLA personnel were taking the timber without permission and that the police stopped them after the forest office informed the police.

Till late in the night, the PLA personnel were blocking traffic on the highway.

Talks are on among UN monitors, PLA camp officials and the police for reopening the highway.