CPN-Maoist activists padlocked the VDC office at around 11 A.M. [break]
and put up a warning notice to stop the voter registration immediately. According to District Election Officer Umesh Kumar Rai, the team continued its registration work from the police beat office once the VDC office was padlocked.“The laptops and other accessories needed to continue with the job were all outside the office at the time. So we could continue the registration from the police beat office,” said Rai.
The administration has beefed up security in the district as obstruction of the voter roll collection went unabated in various places. Security at the district election office has been increased and police have been providing security to the voter list teams.
Nine voter roll collection teams have been deployed in the district. Each collection team has been provided a security detail of five policemen, informed Inspector Sujan Kumar Rajbhandari at the district police office. People have been too frightened to attend the voter list collection center following disruption and threats from CPN-Maoist cadres.
Meanwhile, our correspondent Devendra Basnet in Dang reports, quoting police, that the CPN-Maoist cadres pelted stones at the voter list colleting team at Baghmare VDC in western Dang. The Maoists took to their heels after police intervened against them.
“We have stepped up security following the incident. No one can hinder the registration process now,” said district police chief Lokendra Malla.
Similarly, Maoist cadres also obstructed voter registration in Urahari VDC. The registration process was briefly halted following hindrances created by the Maoist cadres.
The cadres fled after police reinforcements arrived.
According to Gangaparaspur VDC Secretary Dev Raj Adhikari , the voter list collection team in his VDC was likewise threatened by Maoist cadres.
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