The timber businessmen who had held three journalists on charge of collecting news against them have freed the later from Kharhar in Barchhain4 of Doti on the morning of March 15.

Journalists Shrawan Deuba of ABC Television, Dipak Oli of Sourya daily and Bhim Chaudhary of Tarai Television were held by the timber businessmen on March 14 night as they had gone to collect news on illegal cutting down of the trees from the Chure forest in Nigali VDC.

According to Deuba, a group of 40 armed men led by timber businessmen Nabaraj Bista, Ram Bahadur Namjali, Dhan Bahadur BK, Bir Bahadur Namjali, Ramesh Simseli took them in control and threatened to kill them.

The district police office Kailali expressed ignorance on the incident.