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Kathmandu Sunday November 25, 2001 Marga 10, 2058.
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A bloody end to the cease-fire
At least 39 killed in Maoists hit in Dang, Syangja
Post News Team
KATHMANDU, Nov 24 - At least 39 persons, mostly policemen and
soldiers, have been confirmed killed in separate rebel Maoist attacks on police posts and
army barracks in Dang and Syangja districts Friday night.
Though the rebels launched raids in several districts
throughout the Kingdom, the bloodiest battles occurred in Dang and Syangja districts. The
Home Ministry, however, confirmed the death of only 37 persons in a statement released
here late Saturday. Later in the evening, Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka told the
reporters that about 70-80 Maoists have been killed in these incidents.
High-ranking police and army officers in Dang and Syangja
suspect that the Maoists too have sustained heavy casualties, but that most of their dead
were carried away making it impossible to ascertain the toll on their side.
The carnage in Dang: Our reporter in Dang, K P Ghimire,
reported that nearly a day after the attacks, Ghorahi, the district headquarters where the
attacks were focused, was still in smoke. The Sri Bhawani Prasad Baks Gulm (barracks),
which was one of the major targets of the rebels, were still burning on Saturday evening.
And, most of the district level government buildings have been reduced to a cinder by bomb
explosions. They include the District Administration Office, District Land Revenue Office,
banks offices, District Forest Office, district police offices, SP quarter, district jail
premises and quarter of the chief district officer.
Dozens of crude unexploded ordinances lay on the streets of
the district headquarters, mostly near the site of the attacks. They had yet to be defused
by Saturday evening.
Informations pieced together by our reporter Ghimire bespeak
of a massive attack that took the security forces completely by surprise. He reported that
the rebels launched a daring raid on Sri Bawani Prasad Baks Gulm, killing at least 12
soldiers on the spot, including the barracks commander Major Naresh Upreti. Two others
died while being rushed for treatment, local officers said, adding that 26 soldiers had
been wounded in the attack.
In another attack on the Dang District Police Office, rebels
killed four policemen. Another five policemen were gunned down in Narayanpur police post
of the same district, Police Inspector Kushal Purush Dhakal said. Two civilians - Bishnu
Gautam, an employment of Truck Entrepreneurs’ Association, and Ishwori Prasad Rijal,
a bachelor level student at Mahendra Multiple Campus - also died in a cross-fire near the
Ghorahi Traffic Police Post. Fourteen policemen are reported injured in the shootings.
Several important government offices, all located in the
district headquarters of Ghorahi, were also attacked by the rebels, police here said.
Rebels also looted a total of Rs 64.8 million in cash and 59 packets of gold, 3 packets of
silver and three guns from three local banks.
According to eyewitness accounts, the rebels who numbered in
the "thousands" breifly took Ghorahi under their control before fleeing the
scene with a large chunk of arms and ammunition looted from the army barracks and police
offices. Army sources said that the rebels looted 99 Self-Loading Rifles and a few machine
guns from the barracks.
Maoist guerrillas also abducted the Chief District
Officer(CDO) of Dang Lok Bahadur Khatri and took him toward Rolpa district, sources said.
However, he was set free later today. Before fleeing the scene, rebels also attacked the
local prison, freeing 37 prisoners. A dozen more people held by police in the police
office were also also set free by the Maoists.
Syangja: Meanwhile, in the north-western district of Syangja,
another carnage was unfolding simultaneously. In raids on several police posts in the
district, rebels killed 14 policemen, including Inspector Mohammed Nur Aalam. At least
nine other policemen were injured and were rushed for treatment to Pokhara.
Our reporter Om Prakash Sharma said that the attacks began at
10:30 p.m. Friday night and last till 2 a.m. this morning. Govinda Sapkota , an officer
with the Area Administration Office, Waling, said that the remaining policemen were forced
to surrender after they ran out of bullets. Rebels also looted 33 rifles from the police
posts.
Here’s a list of other places hit by the Maoists on
Friday night -
In Chitwan, the Maoists exploded bombs in various places. The
attack has caused damage to the building of District Administration Office (DAO and the
Chanauli Police Post
In Jumla, the Maoists have abducted Agni Raj Upadyaya, local
leader of the Rastriya Jana Morcha.
In Parbat, the rebels blew up two buildings of Community
Police Service at the district headquarter. According to our district correspondent,
Maoists had planted pressure cooker bomb in both the buildings.
In Hetauda, the Maoists have partially damaged the DAO
building. However, police and the army personnel were able to defuse the bomb planted at
the entrance gate of Nepal Lever Limited.
In Sindhuli, the rebels have partially damaged the DAO and
chanted slogans after the bomb they had planted exploded.
In Dhankuta, the Maoists tried to destroy the unmanned police
check post at Jitpur VDC. However, they returned without completely destroying it after
the locals’ request.
In Dhading, the car belonging to DDC Chairman, Khem Prasad
Lohani at the premises of the District Development Committee was completely destroyed by
the bomb planted by the rebels.
In Lamjung, the rebels have partially damaged DAO by hurling
bombs.
In Guleriya, Maoists have vandalized the residence of
Minister for General Administration, Khem Raj Mayalu. According to our district
correspondent, thresher machine, rice mill and tractor have been completely destroyed. The
rebels have also destroyed documents of Small Farmer Development Project.
In Siraha, army personnel were able to defuse the socket bomb
planted by the rebels at the premises of DAO.
In Ramechap, police have foiled the rebels’ attempts to
blow up the Land Revenue Office at the district headquarter.
Meanwhile, 90 policemen stationed at Daramba VDC police check
post left the post for the District headquarter.
In Dhangadi, Maoists have also damaged Land Revenue Office at
District headquarter and Agricultural Development Bank at Darakh VDC. The Maoists also
attacked State Minister Ramjanam Chaudhary’s house, setting fire a motor bike kept
outside the house and looted some quintals of rice. In Myagdi, Nepal Electricity Authority
Office at Beni Bazaar was partially destroyed from the pressure cooker bomb set off by
Maoists last night.
In Inarawa, Maoists exploded bombs at the premises of Area
Police Office on Saturday Morning. Immediately after the explosion, Police were able to
arrest one of the Maoists responsible for the attack.
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