Nepal: Prominent Madhesi rights activist arrested

Nepal police today arrested a prominent Madhesi activist who has been advocating an independent Madhes, for allegedly committing "organised crime against the state".

CK Raut, who is active in the tarai demanding that the southern plains be separated from Nepal, was arrested at a time when the government was being criticised for doing nothing to those who have been openly talking about disintegrating the country.

Following complaints, Siraha district police office had written to the Dhanusha district police, asking the latter to arrest Raut on the charge of "organised crime against the state", My Republica reported.

Dhanusha District Police chief SP Lalmani Acharya said that Raut will be handed over to Siraha police soon.

United under banner of Alliance for Independent Madhes (AIM), Raut and his supporters have been organising gatherings in various parts of the country advocating an independent Madhes.

At a function organised on the premises of Pashupati Adarsha Higher Secondary School on January 18, Raut had spoken for about 11 minutes in which he had publicly stated that the tarai should seceded from Nepal.

Issuing a statement, Raut's supporters have also confirmed his arrest. "Nepali state has yet again shown its racist color by arresting Dr Raut from Janakpur in an undemocratic manner," said a statement issued by Kailash Mahato.

A scientist by profession, Raut holds a PhD from Cambridge University and had worked in the US.

(PTI)