KHOTANG: Former lawmaker Arjun Rai was beaten up black and blue by a group of youth at Hurlung of Khotang district on Saturday evening. He has sustained injuries and bruises on different parts of his body including head and arms, police said.

Rai, who was heading to Buipa , had stayed over at a lodge in Hurlung where he was assaulted by Tenzing Sherpa (22) of Nunthala, Khotang and Ramesh Achhami (24) of Katari, Udayapur among others. The duo were under the influence of alcohol, according to the District Police Office.

Police have detained the duo. Sherpa is said to be an employee at Hurlung ticket counter of Khotang Yatayat, and Achhami a bus driver.

Rai said the duo, who were fighting over phone, abruptly attacked him and chased him to another lodge, where he had taken resort. When Rai ran away from the second lodge, the assaulters ran after him and thrashed him in a maize field also, according to Rai.

"They stopped beating me after I feigned that I was dead," Rai said.

After receiving information about the attack, a team of police rescued Rai.

Rai would have to undergo CT scan of his head, according to the hospital where Rai was taken for treatment.

According to Rai, he was heading the Mewakhola Hydropower Project to supply utility poles.

Rai was a member of the first Constituent Assembly (2008-2012) from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.