Two of the arrested are teachers and they were taken under control from their school. A few of the arrested people are from Ilam district, it is stated.

The custody term has been extended and they would be kept in custody for some days more pending investigation, the District Police Office, Panchthar stated.

Police said they were arrested from various places on different dates. The Biplav-led Nepal Communist Party district organization has objected to the arrests saying its cadres were being arrested one after the other without any reason. However, police said the arrests were made purely on the basis of their involvement in anti-election activities and not as the leaders or cadres of one particular party.