RAUTAHAT, MAY 12

CPN-UML mayoral candidate Santosh Mehata was assaulted by the supporters of another party in Ishanath Municipality, Rautahat, last night.

Mehata was returning from the wedding ceremony of his relative in Ghiura village when the incident happened.

He was attacked by a group of Nepali Congress cadres led by NC candidate Anju Jha somewhere between Laxmaniya and Paltuwa villages.

While Mehata has received injuries on his arms, Shashibhushan Mehata and Bikram Mehata received head injury when the cadres of Nepali Congress fell on the UML mayoral candidate's jeep with brickbats.

Also a former mayor, Mehata is contesting the local elections this time as well, seeking a second term.

Regarding the assault, Mehata also blamed police. 'Apparently, it was a premeditated attack staged with the help of the police administration.

Police had me attacked by NC cadres and they simply looked on.'

Further, Mehata lamented the lack of security for candidates of parties other than Nepali Congress and sought fair investigation into last night's attack on him and the involvement of police personnel.

He also sought action against the guilty. He expressed doubt whether the election to be held by the current coalition government would be fair.

Revealing more about the incident, Mehata said he was phoned and invited to the site by a policeman before being attacked. 'In fact, it was a design of police and NC cadres to finish me off, ' Mehata claimed.

Meanwhile, SP Binod Ghimire of District Police Office said Mehata was escorted to his home following the attack.

'After we learnt that locals had surrounded him, we reached the site and safely escorted him home,' said the SP, pledging investigation into the incident and alleged police involvement.

A version of this article appears in the print on May 13, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.