Maoist central committee member Matrika Yadav was released from prison on 16 October. All cases against him were withdrawn?he was imprisoned on charges of arms trafficking?in the hope that this would create a favourable environment for the dialogue underway between the government and the Maoists.

The police had arrested Yadav last year when he came to Kathmandu for medical treatment. He was caught in Bafal, imprisoned for a while in Maharajgunj and for some time in Bharatpur. A special court was then formed to deal with crimes related with the Maoists. It was this court, which has set Yadav and other Maoists free. The Chief District Officer of Dhanusa withdrew all cases against Yadav. It was after this that he was taken to Bir Hospital for treatment from where he was then taken to Nakkhu jail and then released.
At the jail premises, Yadav told reporters he was being released from a small prison into a larger one. He added that at the present moment, the whole country felt like a prison. ?