During the 10 long years of the Maoist conflict, there were several instances when it looked like the ceasefire would work and the country would return to peace. Both the Maoists and the government had announced the ceasefire around the time the then chief of Armed Police Force IGP Krishna Mohan Shrestha was murdered on 23 January 2003. This was also the first time the war felt so close to Kathmandu's power centre.