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Kathmandu,Sunday January 16, 2000 Magh 2nd, 2056.
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Nine killed, hundreds hurt in police-Maoist clash in Accham
-By a Post Reporter
KATHMANDU, Jan 15 - Nine persons -- two Maoist guerrillas and seven locals --
were killed and hundreds of others injured yesterday when police tried to stop a cultural
programme held in a school in Accham district.
According to sources, police took the dead bodies into their custody and
cremated them themselves. A large number of villagers had turned up to watch the programme
organised by the Maoist insurgents. Sources said the locals were killed when they tried to
escape during police firing.
The deceased were Madan Kumar Chalauni, 16, student of Jalpadeni High School,
Tek Bahadur Kami, 25, Dhagre Damai, 22, Ram Bahadur Chalauni, 27, Amar Singh Chalauni, 24,
Jahar Singh Chalauni, 62 of Thaku VDC and an unidentified person of Damai community from
Sera VDC. The two Maoists could not be identified.
Of the injured, Nar Bahadur Chalauni, 21, Chadre Kami, 45 and Ram Singh
Chalauni, 60 are in critical condition.
Sources say some 35 police entered Dhungala School in Thaku VDC ward 3, east
of Accham, on Friday upon receiving information that the Maoists were holding a cultural
programme and a closed session.
According to sources, the people were killed when police fired in retaliation
after the insurgents pelted stones at them. However, locals claim the police first fired
in retaliation but later killed selected people deliberately.
The police-Maoist clash that began at 6.30 p.m last night continued till 4
a.m today. Details of the clash is still not clear as the telecommunication service in
Kamalbazaar near the site is out of order.
Bhupal Man Bista, secretary of MP Ram Bahadur Bista from Accham, said this is
the first time a police-Maoist clash of such magnitude took place in the region. According
to Bista this is also the first time so many persons have died in the Maoist related
activity.
Police have seized three muskets and seven bags of hand bombs from the site.
Meanwhile, three policemen and two locals who were injured in the Maoist bomb
attack in Liwang, Rolpa yesterday are in critical condition, according to the Bheri Zonal
Hospital where the injured are undergoing treatment.
The insurgents had hurled a socket bomb at the police who were patrolling in
ward-5 in Liwang. They were flown to the hospital in a helicopter today. According to the
hospital, head constables Keshav Datta Pandey, Keshav Khatry and the 11 years old Khim
Bahadur B.K are in serious condition.
Likewise, according to the Mid-Western Regional Police Office, Fam Bahadur
Chalaune of Ramghat-5 in Surkhet was killed by the insurgents on Friday.
Chief District Officer of Surkhet Dhruba Prasad Sharma said three
unidentified persons came to his shop at 6 p.m yesterday killed him with a musket. Sharma
said the three are at large.
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