Narendra KC of Dailekh district is an army soldier turned Maoist rebel. After two years of service in the Royal Nepali Army, he defected to the Maoists last month. On 1 June, KC was on regular duty as a sentry with the Shiva Dal battalion in Gulmi district. The 24-year-old soldier went missing from the sentry post and joined the Maoists with his INSAS rifle, five magazines, 275 rounds of bullets and three plastic grenades. In a function nearly two weeks later, KC ceremonially handed over the rifle to Maoist central leader Bamdeb Chhetri who welcomed him into the rebel group. I will accept whatever role the party gives me, KC said. Lately, there have been sporadic cases of army and police defections, and also of Maoists surrendering to the state. Last year, brigade commander Hom Prakash Shrestha, battalion commander Jay Bahadur Gharti and other senior Maoist leaders surrendered to the army.