The Maoist Government deployed riot police at Pashupatinath, Nepal’s holiest temple, to stop protesters as the party cadres escorted their newly appointed priest into the complex. Maoists and cadres of the Young Communist League (YCL) stormed into the temple at 4 pm on Thursday escorting the new priest to replace Indian pundits who have led prayers at the historic shrine for the past 300 hundred years.

The move has triggered protests from Hindu bodies and people residing in the vicinity of the temple. The move to replace Indian priests has been rejected by the dominant opposition group Nepali Congress.

Apprehending trouble for their appointees and cadres, the Maoists deployed riot police in large numbers. More than a hundred Maoists and cadres of YCL broke the lock of the Pashupatinath’s main shrine and took the newly appointed priest Bishnu Prasad Dahal inside to capture the head-priest’s seat, former member of the Pashupati Area Development Trust Narottam Vaidya said.