Tuesday, February 7 2006 15:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: At least eight security personnel and one Maoist were killed in an overnight attack by the rebels at two places in Nepal on the eve of the municipal polls announced by King Gyanendra.

Two soldiers and one policeman were killed during a Maoist attack at Panauti in Kavrepalanchok district, 45 km east of here last night, said an Army official at the Royal Nepalese Army Headquarters.

The fighting continued till early morning today when the reinforcement of security personnel arrived along with a helicopter and chased the Maoists. Ten security men who sustained injuries in the incident have been brought to the capital for treatment, he said.

"The Maoists might also have suffered loss in the fighting but we are still conducting search to find it out," the army said.

In another incident, armed rebels launched an attack on a security patrol killing three soldiers and two Armed Police Force personnel at Gaighat area in Udaypur district, 350 km east of Kathmandu on the same night.

Five other security personnel were also wounded in the fighting. The dead body of a Maoist militant was also recovered from the clash site, the army claimed.

The Maoists have intensified their attacks across Nepal on the eve of tomorrow's municipal polls, which they have vowed to disrupt. Their general strike targeting the polls crippled life for the third consecutive day today despite the government's claim to provide special security to run shops and operate vehicles.

All schools, colleges, markets, factories and industriesremained closed and public and private vehicles did not ply except for a few buses guarded by security personnel.

Meanwhile, the Surya Nepal Pvt. Ltd., an Indo-Nepal joint venture, has in a statement urged the Maoist affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation (Revolutionary) to immediately release its three senior managers they abducted on February 3 and offered diaolgue to resolve any issue relating to employees welfare.

Surya Nepal is an apolotical business organization and is deeply concerned about the abduction of its three senior managers by the Maoists, it said. "The company has a strong-employee-employer relationship and our wages, welfare and benefits are significantly ahead of those prescribed under the prevailing statutes," the company said.

"All issues relating to the factory and its day-to-day operations are discussed with the elected Trade Union and we would like to emphasize that we remain committed to our belief in resolving issues pertaining to employee-employer relationship through mutual dialogue and discussion," it said.

"We therefore, request the ANTUF-R (Maoist trade union) to immediately and unconditionally release the three managers, unharmed, in the interest of justice and abiding with human right commitments given by CPN-Maoist," the statement said.

The Confederation of Nepalese Industries and Nepal-India Friendship Society have issuing separate statements asked the Maoists to immediately and unconditionally release the Surya Nepal staff.