Faced with stark living conditions and an uncertain future, over 1000 combatants in the 4th Division of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Nawalparasi have fled the cantonments, according to a PLA platoon commander who recently fled the camps.

Kul Prasad Bhattarai alias Kusum told a reporters in Narayangadh, Chitwan, on Tuesday that the number of combatants in the main cantonment located in Jhyaltung Danda has come down to 1000 from the initial 1500.

Similarly, over 500 PLA men in other satellite camps have fled in the past six months. He said the UNMIN had verified 5000 combatants, but only 4000 of them remain in the camps now.

The former platoon commander also accused the Maoist party of misusing the funds provided by the government for the upkeep of the PLA men.

“Major portion of the government money is spent on other purposes of the party. The comrades have not got the Rs 3000 salary allocated by the government,” reports quoted him as saying. Kusum whose UNMIN registration number is 006 escaped from the camp Sunday night.

According to him, anybody suspected of planning to flee the camp is subjected to torture. Most of the combatants living in the camps prefer employment in foreign contries to any rehabilitation option.

Meanwhile, commander of the 4th Division, Pratikchhya, has dismissed the reports of growing defection in the PLA ranks. The PLA commander told local media in Nawalparasi that an average of 12 percent combatants are on leave any given time, which is why the number looks low.

Earlier too, there were reports of PLA men fleeing the camps. On July 20, seven combatants had escaped from the PLA camp in Yangsila, Morang district, with automatic rifles.