Damak, August 14:

Cadres of Nepal Tarun Dal affiliated to the Nepali Congress (Democratic) today beat up the head of the Nepal Telecom (NT) branch office in Damak, Tej Narayan Yadav, and a security guard Bikram Prajuli.

A group of four persons led by local cadre of the NTD Khagendra Kadaria beat up Yadav and Parajuli at their office, said inspector at the Damak area police office Govinda Raj Kafle. Yadav said he was assaulted following a dispute over telephone line distribution.

Yadav said the group approached him at the office and demanded a telephone connection at the NTD office at Satasidham. “I tried to convince them that a telephone connection could be provided only in accordance with regulations and that the OYT connection was not available at the moment, but they suddenly started attacking me,” he said. Yadav has sustained face and head injuries.

Security guard Parajuli said he was attacked as he tried to close the main gate to stop the group from fleeing after the incident.

A telephone set and a fax machine in Yadav’s office were damaged in the incident, police said.

Meanwhile, NT staffers staged a strike to protest against the incident and demanded action against the culprits.