Maoists attack kills 4 cops

Maoist rebels attacked a security checkpoint in west Nepal today, killing four policemen and injuring four others, Radio Nepal said. The at...

Maoist rebels attacked a security checkpoint in west Nepal today, killing four policemen and injuring four others, Radio Nepal said.

The attackers gunned down the policemen at a checkpoint in Nepalgunj, west of the Kathmandu, it said.

Police were searching for the attackers, who fled with weapons and ammunition taken from the police post, Radio Nepal quoted the Police.

King Gyanendra came under heavy censure of the international community as his regime clamped a 10-hour curfew from morning to foil a pro-democracy public rally in the capital. At least 400 people rounded up, mostly in anticipation of the breach of peace from the capital and other parts of the country.

Nepali Congress leader G P Koirala, communist party of Nepal8212;United Marxist Leninist CPN-UML, General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and three others were served 8216;detention at home8217; notice for an unspecified period of time indicating that the King would not take into cognisance the appeal to release pro-democracy leaders and initiate dialogue with them. Gopal Man Shrestha,acting president of the Nepali Congress D was served with a month8217;s detention notice.

Human Right Groups like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and International Commission of Jurists condemned the King8217;s action and asked for immediate release of the detainees which includes Human Right, Civil society and pro-democracy political leaders.

The EU, India and Japan have all expressed concern over the moves, which come just under a year since the King threw out Nepal8217;s elected government to deal with a Maoist revolt.

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8216;8216;The US condemns the decision by the King of Nepal to detain political party leaders and activists in advance of political demonstrations scheduled for January 20,8217;8217; US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. 8216;These arrests and harassment of peaceful democratic forces is a violation of their civil and political rights,8217;8217; he added.

8216;8216;Dialogue between the King and the parties and a return to democracy are the only effective ways to address the maoist insurgency in nepal,8217;8217; McCormack said.

UN has also asked the King to start a dialogue with the political parties. British minister for Foreign Office, Dr Howells called King8217;s action 8216;anti-demcoratic8217;.

The King is guiding and commanding the operation against the pro-democracy forces from Itahari in eastern Nepal. Reports from places outside the capital including Chitwan, Pokhara, Baglung, Biratnagar, Surkhet and Nawalparasi said youths belonging to the alliance of seven-parties took out procession condemning the King.