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Coinciding with the general strike which paralysed entire Nepal 011 April 6th,
the Maoists launched a major military offensive against the Koirala government.
April 6th, marked the 11th anniversary of the defeat of the monarchy, and was
celebrated by the Maoists with bomb attacks, raids, ambushes and a general
strike.
On April 2, 300 Maoist guerrillas attacked a police post in Rukumkot district of
Western Nepal killing 35 police, injuring 14 and taking hostage 23 others. A
massive cache of arms and ammunition were seized. On the same day, in the
eastern district of Dholkha, live policemen were killed in another attack on a
police post. In Kathmandu the Maoists exploded bombs near the residence of
Congress MP Lekhnath Neupane and the former notorious Inspector General of
Police, Achynt Kharel.
On the very next day, 600 guerrillas and militia attacked the police check post
in Palpa district in the Western 'region. In the attack two officers were killed
and 10 injured, one of them seriously.
On April 7th, in the wake of the general strike, 300 Maoists attacked the police
check post in Nannule village in Dailekh district in Western Nepal. They bombed
the police post killing 29 policemen and injuring 12. 28 other police were
trapped under the debris - many were seriously wounded and later evacuated by
helicopter. On the same day a minister's house was bombed.
In a daring jail break six women comrades escaped from a jail in Western
Nepal by digging a tunnel
A total of over 71 policemen were killed in the first week of April and three
major police posts in the Western region have been destroyed.
To counter the growing Maoist offensive the Nepalese government announced a plan
to create a new 15,000 strong police task force, called the APF (Armed Police
Force) along the lines of India's para military. The government will spend $30
million (Rs. 200 crores) equipping the force with modern weapons and training
them in anti-guerrilla warfare - no doubt, with the assistance of the Indian
government. But, this too is bound to fail. A more well equipped force, will
only be a rich source of modern weapons for the Maoists.
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