A group of landless squatters, who belong to underground Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), torched a municipality office in Pokhara Saturday, police said. More than 200 people, mostly landless squatters, with the banner of All Nepal Landless Squatters Association went to the Ward No 18 office of Pokhara Municipality Friday causing damage worth over half a million rupees. All Nepal Landless Squatters Association is affiliated with the Maoist party.
Police said it could have been the act of Maoists in the name of landless squatters. According to police, they were not genuine landless but illegal encroachers. When local administration issued a notice to vacate the areas, they retaliated by attacking the ward office, police said. However, municipality officials were not available for comments.