Kathmandu, June 20: Minister for Home Govinda Raj Joshi delivering a statement of public importance at the House of Representatives today said that a total of 1,366 persons have died and property worth over Rs 180 million has been looted so far in terrorist activity since Phagun 1, 2052 BS.
He said that some 576 incidents of looting, 281 cases of physical assault, 352 incidents of arson, 221 incidents of attack on police posts, 835 cases of clashes with the police, 20 incidents of vandalism at communications centres and 19 incidents of attacks on foreign projects occurred during that period.
He informed the House that some 223 innocent citizens were killed in murderous attacks by terrorists while 119 police personnel were killed during that period. Similarly, 946 terrorists were killed during clashes with security personnel while 3 terrorists were killed during a clash with local people.
A total of 2,421 persons involved in terrorist activities have surrendered and the identity of many persons involved in such activities could not be established due to lying about names, fleeing out of fear of being killed and refusal to claim those who fell in clashes, he said.
So far some 217 persons have been abducted by terrorists and of them, some 21 was killed, 113 were returned and 83 are still being held, he said.
Police have released 3,944 out of 5,565 people arrested in the course of investigations and action has been initiated against the remaining.
The terrorists have been perpetrating terrorism through brutal murders and abduction of party workers, murders, abduction of ordinary citizens including local teachers and employees and manhandling, looting of property and arson, use of minors and women in crimes such as murder and looting, trapping of police personnel and the general public, murder of police personnel in attacks at their posts and looting of material such as communications equipment, looting and vandalism at government and non-governmental organisations, forcible collection of money from people and terrorising of people through the sending of threatening letters, he elaborated.
The government has accorded top priority to maintaining law and order in the country and providing security to life and property, he said adding, it is alert towards the discharge of this responsibility and is working actively.
Referring to the continuous murderous attacks on police personnel and ordinary citizens at a time when a high level committee is attempting to hold talks to bring about a peaceful solution to the problem, he said the government is extremely sensitive towards the problem faced by the people because of terrorist activities. The government wants to bring about a solution by holding talks with anyone. It has no intention of creating unnecessary trouble to any one. Talks and the atmosphere for talks are two separate things. It is time to think why an atmosphere conducive to talks could not be created though the government released 123 persons once the idea of holding talks came up.
As the first and foremost duty of the government is to guarantee security for the life and property of the general public, extra security arrangements are under consideration, he added.
An arrangement has been made to mobilise police personnel in the affected areas in an extensive way and with high morale, and efforts would be made for providing continuous security and services to the people including re-opening of police posts at places where they used to be in the past.
Stating that this is the time to call for economic revolution but the government has to concentrated on calling for the abandonment of terrorism, he said this constitutes a common problem for the entire nation and its populace, not just for a particular region or particular party.
Furnishing information concerning the incident that took place at Siraha Municipality yesterday, he said some persons shot ex-president of Siraha DDC Chandler Narayan Yadav at number 2 road in Ward No. 1 at 6 am and he died on the way to the hospital.
Police have recovered two pieces of ammunition from the site and arrested two persons in this connection, he added.
He further informed that investigations into the incident are being carried out with promptness and a special investigation team has been sent from police headquarters.
Meanwhile Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi has said that the task of setting up police posts at its original places or at the proper place from the security point of view has already been initiated by making necessary arrangements for means and resources.
Responding to oral questions concerning the Ministry of Home during question hour at the House of Representatives today, Mr Joshi made it clear that the government had adopted the policy of setting up police posts at necessary places and not removing them from anywhere.
Home Minister Joshi said that the government would upgrade the police posts considering the local needs, priority and appropriateness in accordance with the recommendation of the district security committees.
Furnishing reply to another question, he said that at present there was no plans for setting up an Ilaka administration office at Dudhauli of Sindhuli district.
MPs Ganga Prasad Nepal and Til Kumar Meyangbo had posed questions to Minister Joshi.