The Kaski police have arrested 18 leaders and cadres of the Netra Bikram Chand Biplav Group from Annapurna rural municipality of the district.

They were held from Uri at Annapurna rural municipality-11 on Saturday night, the Kaski District Police Office said. Superintendent of Police Dan Bahadur Karki said those arrested include Bibek Bhandari alias Aakrosh, the Group's Kaski district secretary; Kaji Gurung, the district president of the Group's student organization; and central member Milan Rai, among other district-level leaders and the student organization leaders and cadres.

The police had launched a special operation a day before their arrest based on information that the Biplav Group was intensifying its activities in that area for some days. The Group's leaders and cadres were taken under control from the building used by the local Mothers Group when they were holding a meeting. It is said police surrounded the Mothers Group's house and arrested them.

The arrestees were all brought to the District Police Office Kaski on Saturday night itself and further investigations are on, police said. The government has outlawed Netra Bikram Chand Biplav's Communist Party of Nepal for involving in violence and extortion activities.