After the rise in the violence by the Maoists following the withdrawal of the four month long unilateral ceasefire, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has put the city police on high alert, citing threats of violence by the Maoists, reports said.

The city police have already begun body search of every person entering the Valley. Police deployed at the main entrance points of the KMC are also examining all vehicles entering the Valley.

“Though we don’t have sufficient manpower to keep surveillance in all 35 ward offices of the KMC, the security forces have been deployed at key places,” The Himalayan Times daily quoted Dhanapati Sapkota, chief of the Enforcement Department of the KMC as saying.

Sapkota added it was possible that the Valley could be targeted by the Maoists.

“Our security personnel have been on the alert right since the declaration of the municipal polls. We are on the alert after explosions in different municipalities outside the Valley,” he added.

The government is holding municipal polls on February 8 despite threats from Maoists to disrupt it.

“Internal security has been tightened as much as possible,” said Padma Raj Regmi, chief executive officer of the KMC.

He added that city police and other security personnel have been deployed 24 hours for the security of all 35 ward offices. “We are also coordinating with the security forces to provided security wherever it is necessary.”

Maoists have been targeting municipalities and other government offices following the breakdown of the unilateral ceasefire on January 2.