Home Minister Kamal Thapa has said security personnel have arrested five Maoist commandos in the capital recently.

Addressing a press conference at the Home Ministry on Friday, Minister Thapa said all of them were members of the Maoist Special Task Force (STF).

According to officials, those arrested include Narayan GC alias Nirmal, Ram Prasad Sapkota alias Dip Shikha, Iswor Sapkota alias Suman, Sajan Kuwor alias Madhav and Badri Parajuli alias Bidroha.

Minister Thapa said more rebels had also been arrested and that investigation was underway. He alleged that the STF commandos had entered the capital to infiltrate into the opposition strike and rallies scheduled early next month. He said the government would take measures to control the four-day protests announced by the seven party opposition alliance beginning next week (April 6).

The opposition parties have announced four-day general strike and rally (April 6-9) against the year-old direct rule of the king. They have refuted allegations that the rebels are likely to infiltrate into their protest programmes.

The government had imposed a day-long curfew in January this year on the day the opposition alliance had planned a massive rally.

Home Minister Thapa, however, did not say if the government would resort to similar measures to foil the opposition strike.