Maoists shot dead a policeman in Kapilbastu Wednesday during the bandh called by the rebels in the western part of the country that crippled normal life.

Similarly two policemen working with the armed police were seriously injured in an ambush by the Maoists in Waling near Syangja Wednesday morning, police said. According to fresh reports from the district, the Maoist rebels shot dead Narayan Bahadur Khatri of the police while he was on duty in the Bahadurgunj area.

Academic and business institutions remained closed in the wake of the Maoist sponsored bandh. Vehicles remained off the highway for fear of being attacked by the rebels, police said.