November 26, 2001
KATHMANDU: At least 200 Maoists were killed and 60 others have been injured overnight at Salleri in the bloodiest encounter in a six-year communist insurgency that has claimed more than 2100 lives, state-owned Radio Nepal said.
The bodies of 150 rebels were found in a nearby jungle in Salleri district headquarters of Solu district while 50 were strewn in the town, Radio Nepal said quoting Minister of State Devendra Raj Kandel. Twenty seven policemen and seven soldiers were killed in a six-hour gun battle, Radio Nepal said.
The number of casualties is expected to rise. Communication with Salleri was cut off and resumed only after noon today. Army helicopters airdropped more forces in Salleri Monday morning, which surrounded the Maoist rebels in a nearby jungle. The fighting between security personnel (army and police) and Maoist rebels continued whole night until 6 am Monday.
Maoists killed Netra Bahadur Chettri in Gorkha Sunday, the home district of Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai overnight, Radio Nepal said. Helicopters were constantly ferrying the injured to Kathmandu for treatment from Solu.