Pokhara, August 4:

The president of the Informal Sector Services Centre (INSEC), Subodh Raj Pyakurel, has said that cases of murder, violence, bandh, and abduction have gone up after the February 1 royal takeover. Speaking at a press meet organised by the INSEC in Pokhara today, he said: “A culture of silence has developed as the people cannot speak out. The State and the Maoists have maintained secrecy on different incidents,” he said. “Although the Maoist supremo Prachand issued a statement, saying that the Maoists will not kill the unarmed civilians, the Maoists have killed 62 persons, including 16 political activists, after the statement came,” Pyakurel said, adding: “The State, too, has killed an equal number of people.”