Nepal govt issues 35-day notice to its citizens for submitting illegal arms

Nepal on Friday issued a 35-day deadline to Nepalese to hand over firearms like rifles, revolvers and ammunition that they possess illegally as it cracked down on activities that can destabilise peace in the country.

"People who do not have a licence to carry weapons and ammunition should surrender those items at the nearest police station, district administration office or barracks of Nepali Army within 35-days, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul Prasad Baskota told media.

The rule also applies for licensed arms and ammunitions if license owners have passed away without transferring the ownership of those items to their kin or others, he said.

People who give up weapons and ammunition will not face any action, Baskota said.

The government's latest announcement comes two days after it banned all activities of Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal and labelled it a terrorist outfit.

The government, according to the minister, had to take action against the Chand-led outfit, as it repeatedly refused to sit for talks when called by a high-level political dialogue team formed to talk to agitating and disgruntled groups.