Maoist rebels on Saturday abducted six members of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) including former lawmaker Dhanharka Rai from a mass meeting that was being organized in Ghoretar of Bhojur, a hilly district in far eastern Nepal, reports from the district said.
The rebels also abducted UML cadre Narayan Pathak in Ramecchap district as he was on his daily round of accomplishing the tasks of the party. Armed Maoists stormed the regional meeting being organized by the party in Ghorletar of Bhojpur district to protest against the Oct 4 royal proclamation that deposed the elected government of Sher Bahadur Deuba.
The cadres abducted by the Maoists from the meeting ground were UML district committee members Jhurendra Parajuli, Dhyan Bahadur Raut, Dibyadhoj Rai, Ramesh Nepal and Narayan Niraula including former lawmaker Dhanaharka Rai, according to the UML central office.
The UML party office issued an appeal Sunday asking the Maoists to release the cadres immediately.