Kathmandu: ndia has handed over two Maoists leaders to Nepal, Indian embassy sources said.

Indian security forces have handed over two members of the rebels governing central committee to Nepal Matrika Yadav, who is also the chairman of the so called Madhesiya Autonomous People's Government and another CWC (Central Working Committee) member Suresh Alemagar, they said.

Yadav was part of a five-member rebel negotiating team during last year's failed peace talks with the Nepalese Government.

The two central-level Maoist leaders were arrested by Indian security forces in Lucknow and handed over by Indian Immigration Department to Nepalese Immigration Department on Sunday (Feb 08, 2004), they said.

This is the first time that the Government of India has handed over central level Maoist leaders to Nepal Government. India has in the past handed over a dozen Maoist cadres to Nepal Government in a gesture of its cooperation to fight against terrorism.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shyam Saran recently said that Nepal and India should share intelligence information to check Maoist activities.

Six months ago, a politburo member of CPN-Maoist (Communist Party of Nepal) C P Gajurel was arrested at Chennai Airport, when he was trying to board a London bound aircraft with false travel documents.