RAJBIRAJ, Dec 18: Office bearers of Shambhunath Municipality in Saptari district have decided to shun their services for ‘indefinite period’ demanding the release of ward 12 chairperson Laxmi Sah, who was arrested on the charge of attempted rape.

A press statement signed by Mayor Yogendra Chaudhary, Deputy Mayor Kabita Kumari Sardar and all the ward chairpersons, reads that the municipality will be closed for an indefinite period unless Sah is released. Besides the mayor and deputy mayor, the statement was issued by 11 ward chairpersons. There are 12 wards in the municipality.

The statement reads that the Shah was framed and is innocent. “The alleged victim had pressurized the ward chairperson to do the work that he was not allowed to do. After the ward chairperson denied it, the case was filed against him,” the statement reads.

Sah is a Nepali Congress (NC) leader. 

Sah along with two others was arrested by Saptari Police on charge of rape attempt. According to Saptari police, the alleged victim was called in a nearby poultry farm, and the ward chairperson and two others had attempted to rape her.