JB Pun Magar, the staff reporter of Himal Khabarpatrika fortnightly magazine has been abducted by Maoist rebels Tuesday while on assignment to cover the anti-rebel uprising in the district of Kapilbastu, 200 km southwest of Kathmandu.

Pun Magar is a serious investigative journalist who had covered the conflict and done stories on the recruitment of child soldiers by the Maoists as well the lynch mobs that set fire to entire villages in Kapilbastu two weeks ago.

Rajendra Dahal, the editor of Himal Khabarpatrika says of Pun Magar: “He is a very professional journalist who was objective and fair even in the most challenging assignment, we appeal to the Maoists to immediately release him. It is unfortunate that the Maoists have detained him at a time when the state has also been harassing the media.”

Army soldiers had detained and mistreated him during interrogation in November last year while he was covering an anti-Maoist vigilante group. He has a masters in journalism from a university in New Delhi.