For the last three months, Dipak Bahadur Thapa, a local reporter for Nepal Samacharpatra has been held hostage in his village of Darna VDC is far-western Achham district. Maoist cadres in the "people's government" have warned of dire consequences should he disobey the order and leave. According to local journalists, the Maoists have accused Thapa of writing against the "people's war" and supporting the "reactionary government".

What is intriguing is the Maoists have refused to lift the ban on Thapa's free movement even three weeks after the declaration of a ceasefire between the Maoists and the government on 29 January.