Kathmandu - The Nepalese government Monday expanded its crackdown on rebellious police officers a day after a mutiny ended peacefully in western Nepal, media reports said.

Over 180 junior police officers face a range of charges in two separate barracks in the town of Nepaljung, about 400 kilometres west of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, where they held senior officers hostage while demanding better food rations and living conditions.

In the most serious incident, nearly 500 junior officers of a riot-control battalion seized weapons and held seven high-ranking officers hostage in the town for more than 36 hours.

The mutiny ended when the rebellious officers surrendered to teams of army's Special Forces as police stormed the barracks on Monday morning.

"We have arrested and discharged 19 officers leading the mutiny and they will face a range of charges including that of armed rebellion," Nepal Samacharpatra newspaper quoted regional police chief Bharat Bahadur Gicy as saying.

"We are also investigating others involved in the mutiny and those with less involvement will be transferred," Gicy said.

Four officers considered the leaders of the mutiny faced sedition charges punishable by life imprisonment.

According to the newspaper, about 150 junior officers face disciplinary action and were expected to be transferred out of the battalion.

The government also expanded its crackdown on junior officers in another precinct where there was a similar mutiny last month.

The independent Kantipur Radio said at least 15 officers of Armed Police Division in the town were arrested on Tuesday morning for leading a rebellion and holding senior officers hostage on 24 June.

Security experts in Kathmandu said the government's reluctance to quell the mutiny last month was a chief cause of the latest uprising. (dpa)