Sankhuwasabha, July 21:

Police last night arrested five youths involved in beating up of two journalists in Sankhuwasabha yesterday.

Police arrested Dipendra Karki, Lenin Shrestha, Sujan Bajracharya and Nirakar Bajracharya and Dipendra Shakya — all members of Khandbari Youth Club — at around 11 pm yesterday.

A mob of 25 people led by KYC General Secretary Dipendra Shakya had thrashed Annapurna Post correspondent Kishor Budhathoki and Naya Patrika correspondent Rajdhan Rai over a news of a looting in Sankhuwasabha DDC. The mob had also dragged the journalists around the Khandbari bazaar after blackening their faces.

The gang also snatched mobile phone sets and gold chains from them. The KYC

members also took under control human rights activist Khadga Rai and journalist Ganga Bista, who were trying to take photos of the incident.

The journalist duo had published a news related to the looting of furniture and other items from the Office of Sankhuwasabha DDC by KYC members a few days ago.

A meeting of the seven parties held in Khandbari today decided that the news of looting was correct and the members of KYC had stolen furniture from the DDC office.

Maoists’ district secretary Rajendra Karki, UML’s district joint secretary JB Ghimire and Jana Morcha Nepal’s secretary Dipak Sharma said action must be taken against the KYC members as the youths were involved in hooliganism and looting. Moreover, they also demanded dissolution of the KYC.

Sankhuwasabha chapters of FNJ, Press Chautari Nepal and Revolutionary Journalists’ Association closed Khandbari bazaar today to protest the beating up of the journalists. Local administration said it would take legal action against the culprits.