Nawalparasi, September 15:

Body of Shankar Panthi, 35, the Sunwal correspondent of the Butwal-based Nayasatta Daily, was found in front of Lumbini Petrol Pump at Sunwal, police said.

Panthi had gone to collect news on vandalism, by the locals, of the Young Communist League, Sunwal, office, last night.

Area Police Office Sunwal said the locals had vandalised the Young Communist League office in the midnight and Panthi, who had gone to collect the news of the vandalism, died mysteriously.

His body was found in front of Lumbini Petrol Pump at Sunwal and his bicycle was found on the road, the police said.

Panthi had sustained serious head injury, though his bicycle didn’t suffer any damage.

Police suspect that Panthi might have been hit by a vehicle.

The body was taken to Prithvi Chandra Hospital at Parasi for post-mortem last night but the YCL urged the police to take the body to Lumbini Zonal Hospital.

YCL Nawalparasi vice-chairman Suk Bahadur Thapa blamed the CPN-UML and Rastriya Prajatantra Party cadres of vandalising the YCL office and attacking Panthi.

Two YCL cadres Abinaya and Dev were injured in the melee.