Maoist leader Gajurel re-arrested in India

Indian police have re-arrested senior Maoist leader C. P. Gajurel on Monday-- immediately after he was released from Madras central jail in India-- upon serving three-year-long sentence, reports said.

According to BBC Nepali Service, Indian authorities decided to detain Gajurel for one more day in view of the West Bengal government's request to hand him over to them. Two criminal cases are pending against Gajurel in West Bengal state of India, according to reports.

Dozens of pro-Maoist supporters had reached the Madras jail to receive Gajurel. They were, however, disappointed when the police re-arrested him. Talking to reporters briefly before being whisked away, Gajurel claimed that reactionary forces were hatching conspiracy to save monarchy in Nepal. "But such conspiracies will not succeed," he added.

Indian police had detained Gajurel three years ago while he was trying to board an international flight to Europe at the Chennai airport. The Chennai high court handed down a sentence of three years to the senior Nepali Maoist leader on charge of carrying forged passport.

Another senior Maoist leader, Mohan Baidya alias Kiran is also serving jail sentence in West Bengal state of India. Maoist sources say around three dozen Maoist cadres are still being detained in various Indian jails on criminal charges