Kathmandu, October 21: The Maoist s on Saturday released 51 of the 61 people they had arrested for alleged involvement in criminal activities in the Kathmandu Valley. Members of the Maoist militia said those people were arrested by them as part of the party's action against people involved in theft, loots and hooliganism in the valley.
"We were compelled to take action because criminal activities did not stop even during the peace talks and also because the people requested us to control such unwanted activities," said Pawan Man Shrestha, president of Newa National Liberation Front (NNLF), a sister organization of the Maoist outfit, at a press conference in Kathmandu.
The Maoists had launched Operation CC (crime control) to nab hooligans in the Capital. The Newa National Liberation Front (NNLF), in coordination with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and other sister organizations of the Maoist were involved in this operation. Speaking at the press conference organized to release the looters and to inform about the operation CC, president of NNLF Pawan Man Shrestha said, “The operation CC that begun some two weeks ago concluded Saturday with the release of all those arrestedn the presence of journalists and human rights activists.” Ten of the alleged hooligans are still under their captivity.
Those arrested were involved in various criminal activities including looting, extortion, kidnapping and murder in different parts of the valley, Shrestha said. He claimed 24 others had surrendered themselves to the NNLF over the period.
NNLF says it has also set up a hotline (015011120) for people to inform them about criminal activities.
Maoist central committee member Hisila Yami says the operation was carried out to assure people and the businessmen of a peaceful environment to carry out their work.
She said those released would be under strict supervision of the party. She added: "They were released on condition of arriving at the party office when summoned."
Maoists said they recovered 4 pistols, 2 revolvers, 59 bullets, six khukuris, 14 swords, 3 knives, one nunchaku and two sets of pepper sprays. They also recovered 20 motorcycles, 39 mobile sets and gold jewelry among other things, from those arrested.
A cache of weapons and purloined goods were displayed to the public by the Maoists on Saturday.
Meanwhile, police has criticized the the action taken by the Maoist affiliated NNLF in the name of curbing criminal activities is illegal. A newspaper quoted Chief of Kathmandu District Police Office, Dhak Bahadur Karki ,as saying that, although all citizens are police without uniform, it is illegal to take arbitrary action against citizens on various charges. "It is also violation of human rights," he was quoted as saying.
Karki also alleged that Maoist's action is motivated by political interest rather than controlling crime in the valley.