Sunsari, December 22

A huge cache of bullets and a submachine gun were seized today from a poultry farm run by a former Maoist cadre at Bharaul of Barahakshetra Municipality-9, Sunsari.

A joint team of Nepali Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police seized one set of SMG and 9,992 bullets buried under the poultry farm near the house of Khem Pradhan, said Superintendent of Police Yagya Binod Pokhrel. “The gun and bullets were kept in a plastic drum and buried under the poultry farm,” said SP Pokhrel.

The gun and bullets were found under the cemented poultry farm. The seized gun and bullets were the largest cache ever in Sunsari district, police said.

The seized gun and bullets have been kept at the Nepali Army’s Eastern Divisional Headquarters in Itahari.

The gun and bullets are believed to belong to the Maoist conflict period and investigation into the incident is under way, said SP Pokhrel.

Pradhan is a former Maoist cadre. After quitting politics, Pradhan had started poultry farm ten years ago. He was semi- underground during the Maoist conflict.

According to the locals, Pradhan is no longer active in politics. “We have interrogated Pradhan though he has not been held,” said police.