A group of 10-12 Maoists Saturday morning shot dead two traffic policemen in the western city of Dhangadhi, reports said.

The dead were police constables Prem Singh Kunwar and Shaligram Sharma. Two civilians were also injured in the shooting, the reports said.

Security forces, meanwhile, shot dead a Maoist, Bhola Takma in Rautahat Friday evening. The Maoist was killed in retaliatory action when he shot policeman Dipak Bahadur Tamang, the reports said.

Tamang sustained injuries in the firing, the reports said. nepalnews.com mr Jan 10