Biplav group suffers losses after govt ban

  • July 17, 2019

Eight cadres of the outlawed Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’-led group were killed while 769 were arrested after the government put restrictions on the movement of the underground armed outfit on March 12, 2019.

According to Nepal Police Headquarters, 579 cadres of the Biplav-led group were arrested after the government imposed a ban on the group on March 12. Before the government ban, only 190 cadres of the group fell in the police net, according to the records of the Nepal Police.  After the government banned the group, 352 cadres deserted the party.

Very lately, Kumar Paudel, the group’s Sarlahi-district in-charge, was killed in a clash with police on June 20 in Lalbandi. Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa during his address to the Federal Parliament clarified that Paudel was killed during an exchange of fire with police. Among the total deceased, three were killed in the exchange of fire with police and five died in separate bomb explosions in Kathmandu on May 27. Seven members of Biplav were also injured in the bomb incident.

On July 10, both the Nepal Police and Biplav-led group incurred losses of human lives in Bhojpur. Two cadres of Biplav had lost their lives in Bhojpur.  On May 21, Tirtha Raj Ghimire was killed in a police action at Dhodre forest of Temkemaiyung Rural Municipality-2 in Bhojpur. On July 10, Bhojpur district in-charge Nira Kumar Rai was also killed during police operation. The incident occurred at Pandhare Hotel in Sanibare of the district.

On the same day, Nepal Police personnel Sanjeev Rai also lost his life. In the incident police personnel Khomnath Bhattarai was injured. In Kathmandu’s Sukedhara and Ghatekulo bomb explosions, Bibhuram B.K alias Dipen B.K, Nirantar Malla, Gokul Ranamagar, Ram Kumar Shrestha, Prajwal Shahi died. Before and after the government banned the group, police seized 23 sets of illegal weapons, 417 rounds of bullets, four detonators and other explosives from the group. Biplav-led group had exploded bombs in 18 different places of the country and resorted to arsons and vandalism in 10 places after the ban.

On March 14, 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs had called to submit all illegal and non-renewed weapons. After the notice, 483 people had submitted their weapons to the government, according to the police.
The government had given 35 days ultimatum to submit the non-renewed and illegal weapons. Among the total seized weapons, 189 were illegal and 322 legal weapons, according to the police. Within the period, 993 bullets were also seized among them 500 were illegal and 493 legal bullets.

Nepal Police spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General Bishwo Raj Pokharel said that Nepal Police was seriously engaged in foiling every violent movement of the group and had increased surveillance against them following the imposition of ban against the group.