Maoists urged to free captives

Abducted kept in brewery: Kin

Kathmandu, October 27:

Families and close relatives of those abducted by the Maoists have called for the immediate release of those in Maoist custody. Some of the individuals abducted from the city and the surrounding areas have been kept in Maoist captivity on premises of a brewery, which has been shut, in Godavari, the families said.

“My husband Sunil Thapa, a restaurateur, was abducted by the Maoists on October 6 from Mahankal,” Roshani Thapa, who is expecting a baby, said at a press meet here today. Sunil, according to her, is being kept in Maoist captivity in Godavari. “I’m not aware of the reason for his arrest and he doesn’t know the reason himself,” she said.

Twenty-eight-year old Umesh Shrestha was abducted from his house in Bhaktapur on October 10 and is currently being held in Godavari. “A group of Maoists came to our house and abducted my son Umesh. Likewise, the Maoists came on October 12 and took his motorbike right from our premises,” Ramesh Shrestha said.

“I saw the Maoists claim on TV a few days back that they had confiscated the bike, which is completely false,” he said. He said that the Maoists allowed him to meet his son in Godavari.

Nar Bahadur Shrestha said his son Rajesh Shrestha, who was running a hardware shop in Dhumbarahi, was abducted by the Maoists some 10 days ago from Dhumbarahi. Twenty-three-year old Rajesh is also being detained at the brewery.

Kisan Lama said her husband Krishna Shrestha, the breadwinner of the family, was abducted by the Maoists on October 14. The Maoists abducted Krishna from a motorcycle workshop in Banasthali, Kathmandu. “We have three children. They are in a pretty bad shape,” she said.