Maoist rebels have stepped up their attacks against civilian targets and ambulances, spared even during a full blown war, to enforce the “blockade” of the capital, Kathmandu and district headquarters across the country.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the Ministry of Defense said that the rebels opened fire at an ambulance carrying a sick child to Pokhara at Kotre area of Kaski district in western Nepal on Tuesday. The frandfather of the sick child, Ram Bahadur Rana, was seriously injured in the rebel firing.

Similarly, Maoist guerillas shot dead Bindiya Rana Magar, a civilian, at Sangrampur ilaka of eastern terai district of Sarlahi on Monday. Two other persons were injured. The rebels also set a truck on fire on the same day at Kusaha ilaka of Saptari district and abducted its driver and helper, according to the Ministry.

On Tuesday, the rebels set fire on a tractor owned by one Tejendra KC at Sakaniyar ilaka of the western district of Baglung and abducted him, the Ministry said.

The rebels bombed the bridge over Holeri River along the Prithivi Highway in the western district of Tanahu Tuesday night. Officials said security personnel have cleared obstructions placed by the rebels at several places in Dhading district on Tuesday.

Public and private transport across the country came to a halt and tens of thousands of people across the country were stranded in the wake of the Maoist blockade, according to reports. Prices of essential goods soared up and people began to keep stocks of essential goods.

Talking to Nepalnews, Sub Inspector of Police at the Thankot police post in Kathmandu, Indra Bahadur Sirish, said that number of vehicles leaving Kathmandu went up on Wednesday compared to Tuesday. Similarly, number of vehicles entering the valley has also increased, he said. According to Sirish, most of those leaving Kathmandu were tourist buses going to Pokhara. Normally, over one thousand big vehicles leave and enter the capital valley on an average every day.

An official at the Agni Yatayat said they were not sure when will they resume their service. “Though we have stopped ticket booking, people continue to flock to our counters asking if there were any buses going out of Kathmandu,” he said.

Security forces have been providing escorts to passenger buses along the Prithvi Highway and security patrolling has been intensified. According to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police office, passenger buses are being escorted between Chitwan and Nagdhunga of Kathmandu. Officials said that teams of Armed Police Forces and Royal Nepalese Army officials have been stationed along the highway at a distance of one kilometer to foil any disturbances by the rebels.

People could be seen inquiring about essential items like cooking gas in the market. Owner of the Rajbhandari Store at Tinkune in Kathmandu said people have begun to keep stock of essential food items.

Prices of vegetables have also increased sharply. According to an official at the Kalimati Vegetable and Fruits Market Development Committee, supply of vegetable to the market from outside Kathmandu had reduced by about 50 percent. “On Tuesday, only 200 trucks carrying fresh vegetables arrived at the market against the normal supply of 450 trucks,” he said.

The National Human Rights Commission, the seven party opposition alliance and rights groups have urged the rebels to withdraw their blockade and strikes saying that it will add to the woes of ordinary people.

The CPN (Maoist) is yet to respond to such calls.