DAILEKH, Dec 23: Police have rescued chairperson of Thatikandh Rural Municipality of Dailekh, Dhir Bahadur Shahi, who was kidnapped by the cadres of Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) on Saturday midnight. He was rescued after 18 hours. 

The Maoist outfit had demanded the release of all of its cadres arrested by police in exchange of Shahi. 

According to DIG Purna Chandra Joshi, chief of the Provincial Police Office, Surkhet the police had to fire several rounds of ammunition to rescue Shahi. Police said they opened fire in retaliation after CPN cadres fired at the police team deployed to rescue Shahi. 

Shahi was rescued from Subhakalika Rural Municipality-1 of Kalikot at 6:30 in the evening, according to Kalikot Police. More than a dozen cadres of the outlawed CPN had kidnapped Shahi, his spouse Ila, and his brother Hasta Shahi from their home. While his brother was released on Saturday itself an hour after their abduction Shahi’s wife was released earlier on Sunday.

The outlawed Chand-led NCP had taken the responsibility for the abduction.

A total of 160 police personnel were mobilized from Provincial Police Office, Surkhet as well as district police offices of Dailekh, Kalikot and Achham to rescue Shahi.

A source told Republica that a team of police from Kalikot led by a Sub-Inspector had rescued Shahi from the cadres of CPN.

“We have taken Shahi to a safe location after rescuing him,” DIG Joshi said, adding that the police were searching for CPN cadres in the jungle.

A press statement issued by Bheri-Karnali Bureau Incharge of CPN, Rabi, on Sunday reads that Shahi was corrupt, and had provided their information to others. 

In March, the government had banned the activities of CPN. Since then, a total of 99 cadres have been arrested from Karnali. According to Provincial Police Office, Surkhet, a total of 99 cadres have been arrested from 10 district of the province.

 
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