Kathmandu, Oct. 20 -- On Wednesday night, police arrested 21 leaders and cadres of the Communist Party of Nepal, in the biggest mass arrest since the government branded the Netra Bikram Chand's party a criminal outfit and banned its activities in March.

According to officials, police acted on a tip-off and conducted a midnight raid on a house in the middle of a jungle near a village in Dang district.

Hundreds of Chand party leaders and cadres have been arrested over the months since it was declared a criminal outfit, but senior leaders, including Chand's brother, were arrested in Wednesday's police action.

Government officials said security personnel were monitoring the Chand party's activities in recent days and had learned that it wa...