Police on Thursday seized arms and ammunitions in a raid in Shivraj Municipality, the hometown of Communist Party of Nepal leader Netra Bikram Chand, in Kapilvastu.

The raid comes at a time when the government has launched a crackdown on Chand-led party leaders following the detonation of an improvised device near the gate of Ncell head office in Nakkhu, Lalitpur, and a series of arson attacks in various districts across the nation on February 22.

One person was killed and two others were injured in the blast.

According to police, a joint team from Nepal Police and Armed Police Force raided the house of Durga Bahadur Rokka in Turuntapur in the municipality and seized two submachine guns, 68 rounds of bullets and 3 magazines. Police also seized one Chinese-made pistol and three rounds of bullets.

Police also found 129 rounds of bullets of 5.56 caliber for M16 gun, wires and one remote control during the raid.

According to police, Rokka had tried to flee after the discovery of the firearms in his possession. He was injured when police shot him on his leg. He has been taken to Butwal for treatment.

Meanwhile, students union affiliated to the Chand-led party gathered students from Nepal Rastriya Lower Secondary School and staged a protest demanding that police release Rokka.

After situation turned tense, a team of security personnel returned to Area Police Office in Sundari Daanda.

Police are conducting further investigation into the matter.

Last week, Dev Kumar Limbu, a Communist Party of Nepal leader, was arrested in Dharan of Sunsari district with an M16 and a light machine gun. Police said initial investigation shows the weapons were part of those the former Maoist rebels had looted from the Rolpa barracks of the Nepal Army during the conflict.