Sunsari, January 8

Construction entrepreneur Anoj Bhattarai of Dharan Sub-metropolis,Sunsari,  has gone missing since yesterday. The disappearance came to light after Bhattarai’s family reached out to the police for help to find him yesterday itself.

“He had gone to the Road Division Office in Biratnagar to receive payment against the work he had done but didn’t return home,” said Anoj’s cousin Krishna Bhattarai, the chair of Ward No 14, Dharan sub-metropolis.

Anoj had got contract to repair the rain-damaged stretch of the Dharan-Bhedetar road stretch at Nishane and had gone to the RDO to receive payment for the project.

“Some time after he left home, we got a message from his mobile number that asked us not to bother searching for him (Anoj), saying he was with them and they would call us later. When we tried to contact him later,his mobile was switched off, “ Krishna said.

Krishna and his team went to search for him and informed the border security force in Kakadbhitta after they the located the position of his mobile.

“We’re still searching for him and are in Kakarbhitta now,” said Krishna, suspecting it to be a case of abduction.

Dharan Area Police Office DSP Suman Kumar Timsina said they were searching for the missing man acting on the application, but refused to say whether it was abduction. “Our search for him is on. It is too early to say whether he has been kidnapped.”