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BADLY HURT: Deb Shankar Poudel of the UML, who was badly beaten by Maoists in Ramechhap on Wednesday, was helicoptered to Kathmandu for treatment. |
With only a month to go until elections, a poll watch group has recommended security and crowd management must be improved to reduce the danger of violence.
Democracy and Election Alliance Nepal (DEAN) in a report issued this week urged that party organisers keep their cadres peaceful.
"Political party leaders should immediately denounce use of violence by their supporters, cadres, and affiliated groups," the group said in a statement.
DEAN's Political-Election Violence Education and Resolution project also tallies instances of violence in the run-up to elections and recorded a dramatic increase in January to 97 wounded in 45 incidents. There were 25 other instances in January of kidnappings and intimidation, clashes between youth groups in which 19 were wounded, 3 killed, and 6 kidnapped. The project relies on a network of 240 monitors in each constituency who report on violence and tension in their communities, and is funded by USAID.