M A I N   N E W S

15 cops die in Nepal bomb blast

KATHMANDU, Feb 19 (Reuters) — Fifteen policemen were killed and 16 injured when suspected Maoist rebels bombed a security post in a remote village in west Nepal, the police said today.

“Fifteen police officers were killed,” Nepal police chief Achyut Krishna Kharel said.

A police spokesman said the rebels attacked a police post around 1.25 a.m. (01.05 IST) at Ghartigaon in Rolpa district, 450 km west of here.

This is the largest number of security personnel killed in a single incident since the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) started an insurgency in several remote districts to establish a Communist republic in the world’s only Hindu kingdom.

More than 1,150 people have been killed in insurgent activities and in the police action since the revolt started in February 1996.

Recently global human rights watchdog Amnesty International held both the Maoist rebels and the Nepalese government responsible for human rights violations in the conflict.

Meanwhile, Nepal celebrated its 50th National Democracy Day with strong campaigns against Maoist insurgents across the country today, officials said.