Kathmandu, October 5:

The Metropolitan Police Crime Division, Hanumandhoka, today arrested four of the 11 persons

involved in the abduction of Baburam Tamang from Subidhanagar, Kathmandu. The abductors

had set Tamang free after getting a ransom of Rs 3.5 lakh.

The MPCD identified the arrested as Surya Bahadur Gurung, 24, of Darkha VDC-9 Dhading district, Amit Poudel, 23, of Rambazar-15, Kaski, Kamal Gurung, 30 of Darkha VDC-8 of Dhading and Anil Thapa Magar, 23, of Aappipal-4, Gorkha.

According to the police, seven other kidnappers — Ishwor Thapa Magar of Lamjung, Lava Kumar Khadka of Haripur Sarlahi, Bhubin of Dhading, Sandesh Gurung of Sukranagar-1 Chitwan, Suman, Hem and Harka — are still at large. The police said it had no idea where Suman, Hem and Harka were from.

The group of 11 had kidnapped Tamang, 40, of Khaniyapani VDC-3 in Ramechhap district, from his Subidhanagar residence on September 22.

Initially, the kidnappers had demanded the Tamang family to pay Rs 4 lakh as ransom, but released Tamang in Ratna Park on September 26 after receiving Rs 3.5 lakh.

According to inspector Raj Kumar Silwal, the kidnap was well-planned. He said the police have seized a black pulsar motorbike, a mobile phone set with three sim cards, a khukuri, a sharp weapon and a black jacket from Gaushala, one red pulsar motorbike, two mobile sets with sim cards, Rs 70,000 from Surya Bahadur Gurung and Amit Poudel and a mobile set with sim card from Kamal Gurung.

Inspector Silwal said these people face 7 to 15-year jail-term and Rs 50,000 to Rs 200,000 as penalty.