Khotang, November 26

Two Kirant Janabadi Workers Party cadres of Khotang, who were arrested for extortion were sent to prison today.

Ishwor Kumar Rai and Taul Kumar Rai of Aiselukharka Rural Municipality were handed down two years prison term and Rs 2,000 in fine by Khotang District Court about two years ago.

The two, who are central members of the party, were arrested from Aiselukharka. “They were produced at the district court today and then dispatched to jail to serve the sentence,” said District Police Office, Khotang, Deputy Superintendent of Police Raj Kumar KC.

KJWP spokesperson Biru Kiranti protested the arrest of his party cadres saying it was in contravention of the past agreement with the government.

“The arrest of our men at a time when talks are on is out-and-out unfair,” he said, accusing the government of failing to keep up its end of the bargain.

“As per the Chiyabari talks more than four years ago, we submitted our weapons to the government but the latter apparently failed to keep up its end of the bargain,” said Kiranti.

The party, after the sixth round of talks with the government in Ilam’s Chiyabari, had submitted three three-nought-three rifles to the government through then Khotang District Administration Officer Govind Sapkota.

Operating as an underground outfit in the eastern hills to press for its demand of ethnicity-based states, the party had attacked Faktang, Devisthan, Chisapani and Nunthala police posts  in Khotang and robbed arms at different times before it agreed to sit for talks with the government.