Kathmandu, October 30 Police have arrested three youth leaders of two major political parties — ruling Nepal Communist Party and the main opposition Nepali Congress, in two separate rape cases. One among them is Indrahang Rai, member of All Nepal National Free Students Union, who was arrested on the charge of raping a minor girl, yesterday from Jorpati. Rai was arrested from a rented room in Jorpati at around 5:00 am after an 18-year-old girl called the police for help on Monday mid-night saying she was raped by Rai. Rai, had lured the victim on the pretext of playing Deusi-Bhailo, a traditional merry-making festival, celebrated often at night during the festival of Tihar. He had taken the girl to his relative’s rented room at Makalbari in Gokarneshwor Municipality. “The girl had sought police help by calling 100 at mid-night on Monday saying that she was raped by the man called Rai,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramesh Bahadur Singh at Metropolitan Police Circle, Bouddha. He further said the girl had called police after she was left alone on a road as Rai had left the room along with the girl after raping her. Rai had then moved to his friend’s rented room in Jorpati to spend the night. The girl, who was rescued by police, was then handed over to her relative whom she had been living with in Kirtipur. The police were able to arrest Rai, who is also joint-secretary at the Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus chapter and central member of All Nepal National Free Students Union, the next morning . The girl, hailing from Jhapa district had recently completed her Grade XII, and was searching for a part-time job to pursue further studies, said DSP Singh. The girl filed a first information report against Rai yesterday. DSP Singh said preliminary investigation showed that Rai had made false promise of finding the victim a good job. Police have completed the health check-up of both and are preparing to file a case at the court. The ANNFSU chapter of the campus, issuing a press release, stated that Rai had been relieved of all his duties and responsibilities as joint-secretary. In a similar event, Sandesh Sharma Pokharel of Dang and Gyanendra Gajurel of Nuwakot have been arrested for raping a 19-year-old girl on October 16. Various media have reported that Pokharel is a member of the youth wing of ruling NCP’s Youth Federation of Nepal and Gajurel is a district member of NC Nuwakot district chapter, who is also a former member of Nepal Students Union, student wing of the Nepali Congress. Police have not verified their political affiliation yet. Pokharel and Gajurel have been accused of raping the girl on the night of October 16, inside a rented room in Kumaripati. Police said Gajurel had lured the girl into a room rented by his close friend on the day. DSP Santosh Tamang at Metropolitan Police Range, Jawalakhel, said Gajurel had convinced the victim to spend the night with him at the same place. DSP Tamang, quoting the victim, said the room owner Pokharel came to the room late at night when she was asleep. He then took her to another room and raped her. Pokhrel was drunk. According to the girl, after a while Gajurel joined him and they both raped her. The victim has filed an FIR against both of them.