The police has come under fire from human rights organisations over their "unauthorised" entry into a Kathmandu hospital premises in search of two suspected Maoist rebels admitted to the hospital for gunshot injuries. The police entered the Miteri hospital in Baghbazar on 2 September, six days after two young patients had been brought it from Sindhuli, claiming that the duo matched the descriptions of Maoists being sought by the Sindhuli District Police. Speaking to us, both the wounded admitted they are associated with the Maoists. Rajan K.C. said he has been fighting the People\'s War since the very beginning, while Srijana Phuyal said she was a recent entrant into the Maoist fold. The two had been injured in clashes with the police on 23 August.

After the police entered the wards, the hospital\'s medical director, Dr Birendra Jhapali, went to court seeking an order to keep them out. On Thursday the Appellate Court of Lalitpur asked the police to refrain from actions that could affect the hospital\'s operations. The court has also ordered different government departments to clarify why the police had entered the hospital premises without necessary authorisation.

The petitioner also says that the police entered into the wards, disregarding hospital regulations and misbehaved with the staff and patients. The police deny the allegation, and also deny that they had prevented relatives of the injured from visiting them, as has been reported. They plan to take K.C. and Phuyal into custody after the treatment is over.