(updated) Jash Bahadur Pun, a Nepali Congress (NC) candidate for ward chairman of Beni Municipality-4 in the upcoming local elections, was abducted on Monday. Police suspected that the activists of the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal might have abducted Pun to disrupt the local level elections set for May 14. Deputy Superintendent of Police Basundhara Khadka said a team has been mobilised to rescue Pun, who had last talked over phone with the local NC leader Ajay Milan Shrestha. Pun had reportedly told Shrestha that he was in trouble. (PR) म्याग्दीको बेनी नगरपालीका ३ भकिम्लीबाट नेपाली काँग्रेसको तर्फबाट स्थानीय तहको निर्वाचनका लागि वडा अध्यक्षका उम्मेदवार सोमबार अपहरणमा परेका छन् । भकिम्लीबाट पार्टीको बैठकमा सहभागी हुन बेनी आउँदै गरेका नेपाली काँग्रेसबाट उमेद्बार चयन भएका जसबहादुर पुनलाई अज्ञात व्यक्तीहरुले अपहरण गरेको नेपाली काँग्रेस म्याग्दीका सदस्य मनकुमारी विकले जानकारी दिए । “चढेर आएको गाडी बिग्रीएपछि हिडेर बेनी आउदै गर्दा दुधेखोला क्षेत्रबाट अपहरणमा पर्नुभएको हो” विकले भने “चुनाव बहिस्कार गर्ने टोलीबाट अपहरणमा परे, म भोली उमेद्वारी दर्ता गर्न आउन सक्दिन भन्नुभएको थियो ।” दिउँसो २.३० बजेदेखि पुनको मोवाईल स्वीचअफ भएको छ । म्याग्दीका प्रमुख जिल्ला अधिकारी राजुप्रसाद पौडेलले अपहरण भएका पुनको खोजीका लागि सम्भावीत ठाउँमा सुरक्षाकर्मी परिचालन गरिएको र अहिलेसम्म अवस्था पत्ता लाग्न नसकेको बताए । अपहरणमा संलग्नको पहिचान र पुनको खोजीमा सबै सुरक्षा संयन्त्र परिचालन गरेको प्रजिअ पौडेलले बताए । Update............................................ A candidate from the largest party – Nepali Congress – who was abducted on Monday afternoon from Bhakimlee area of Beni Municipality – 3 has been released unharmed. Jas Bahadur Pun, who is NC Ward Working Committee President, was abducted from Hegauda Paniswanra stretch in the afternoon while he was on the way to attend Bhakimlee party meeting. After Nepal Police and Armed Police Force were mobilised in all four entry points into the district, the abductors released Pun at Baranja area at 10:00 pm, Chief District Officer Raju Prasad Poudel said. “The security personnel were mobilised at the suspicious locations in all four points after which he was released,” CDO Poudel said, adding “The search for the person involved has been launched.” NC Myagdi President, Khambir Garbuja, on Monday evening issued a press statement accusing Netra Bikram Chand led Nepal Communist Party cadres of carrying out the abduction with an intent to influence the election and prevent candidate’s registration. NC has selected Pun as the candidate for Ward Chair in the local polls. The abduction took place as Pun had decided to walk to Beni after his vehicle broke down on the way.