The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) launched an aerial attack at Tharpu in Chang VDC of the Tanahu district on Wednesday after receiving information of armed Maoists holding a meeting at the local Min Secondary School, reports said.

The RNA helicopter reached the site 15 minutes after the Maoists, who were around 1,000 in number, returned to Tharpu Bazaar after attending the mass meeting on the school premises, according to reports.

The copter started firing after hovering in the air for sometime, eyewitnesses said. However, there was no casualty. Many Maoist cadres managed to hide in secure spots while some hid near the road along Prithvi Highway.

“The RNA helicopter circled the area about 9-10 times before starting firing,” The Himalayan Times daily quoted a local, Bimala Shrestha as saying.

The Maoists had blocked the road at Ghumti of Chang VDC in the east and Thatitar in the west by parking vehicles across the road.

The paper quoted district based security sources as saying that the RNA helicopter reached Tharpu after the army got information about the highway being blocked.

Sources added that the RNA men had to take retaliatory action after Maoists started firing at the helicopter. nepalnews.com pb Apr 27 06