Nepal siege grips capital

Suspected insurgents shot dead a policeman in Nepal's capital yesterday as the military said it could escort food shipments into the city to ease a rebel-inspired blockade.

The new violence came as Maoist guerillas failed to respond to a government offer to partially meet their demands for lifting the blockade, in its fourth day. The unprecedented siege has triggered fuel rationing and pushed up food prices in the city of 1.5 million people.

The blockade is the latest tactic by the rebels, who have been waging an eight-year-old rebellion to topple Nepal's constitutional monarchy and establish a communist republic. More than 10,000 people have died in the revolt.

The capital itself is well guarded but the rebels have repeatedly shown their ability to bomb buildings and carry out targetted killings in Kathmandu since the revolt began.

A Home Ministry official said two men on a motorcycle shot a police sub-inspector as he was walking in a residential area on the outskirts of the city.

Friday's attacks and yesterday's shooting are seen as attempts by the guerillas to scare Kathmandu residents and reinforce the siege.