Rebel police surrender, hostages freed

Seven senior police officers who had been taken hostage by their subordinates at a police base in southwest Nepal were freed and the rebel junior officers surrendered, police said on Monday.

About 200 policemen at a riot police camp in Nepalgunj, a town 320 km (200 miles) from Kathmandu, took seven officers hostage on Saturday. The policemen said they were ill-treated and given poor quality food.

"The rebel policemen have surrendered to me and laid down their arms," Bharat Bahadur Gharti Chhetri, the most senior police official in Nepalgunj, said by phone.

"All seven officers have been freed unharmed. They are with me right now."

Officials say the rebel policemen will be charged with indiscipline.

The incident was the latest in a series of revolts by junior policemen against what they call low-quality food and ill-treatment by senior ranks.