The army shot dead at least 74 Maoists in a major military operation in Rolpa Monday, the Defence Ministry said Wednesday. Twenty-four bodies have been recovered and the rebels carried away the bodies of others, the Ministry said quoting eyewitnesses.
Three soldiers died in the operation which is continuing, reports from the region said. The army shot dead two rebels at Bharatpur in Chitwan Tuesday.
The army recovered arms, ammunition, explosives, guns, pistols, revolvers and 20 batteries from Rolpa, Chitwan and Udaipur.
Maoists killed UML activist Khadga Bahadur Rai at Ramite village in Morang overnight and Nepali Congress activist Rajendra Sahani in Rautahat Wednesday, police said.