Biratnagar, April 6:

The Morang District Administration, for the first time, has filed a case against two Maoist cadres for carrying an illegal weapon.

The police filed a case against Maoist Sunsari area number 2 secretary Amaresh Kumar Mehta and cadre Shambhu Sharma of Belgachiya-9 under the Arms and Ammunition Act. Activists of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF) had handed over the Maoist duo along with a pistol to the Morang police after they clashed with Maoists on Wednesday.

Former ward chairman of Belgachiya-2 and MJF supporter Birendra Mandal was injured in the clash between MJF activists and Maoists at Bhimpur in Sunsari.

The Maoist duo, which was also thrashed by the MJF men, is undergoing treatment in Koshi Zonal Hospital, Morang Superintendent of Police Gopal Bhandari said. He added that legal action would be initiated against the Maoists after they are discharged from hospital. The penalty for carrying illegal arms is two years under the Arms and Ammunitions Act. Bhandari said action would be initiated against all those who are caught weapons.

The Maoists’ district committee claimed that the allegations against its cadres were baseless. Maoist district in-charge Dinesh claimed that the local administration had framed the duo.