Man dies in Maoist captivity in Birgunj

Kantipur Report

KATHMANDU, Sept 28 - A man who was captured and was being detained by the Maoists for the last few days died in their captivity in Birgunj, Wednesday night.

Seth Sah, 42, of Bairiya Birta died in Maoist captivity. The Maoists had accused Sah of being involved in the kidnapping of his own nephew and had detained him for "interrogation", reported our correspondent Sujit Mahat.

The Maoists had detained Sah at the Bipasyana Dhyan Kendra (meditation centre) constructed by the Jyoti Group at Parwanipur, Birgunj. The rebels forcibly seized the meditation centre to convert it into their detention centre sometime ago.

The Maoists have, however, claimed that Sah died of a heart attack and "not because of any torture."

The Maoists had rushed Sah to the Narayani Sub-Zonal Hospital on an ambulance in the middle of the night but the doctors at the hosoital declared Sah dead on arrival. The Maoists fled the hospital premises after arrival of police force.

Parsa District Secretary of the Maoists, "Ashish" said that Sah was detained "for his involvement in the kidnapping of his own nephew." He further informed that Sah suffered a heart attack after a Maoist militia hit him twice with a stick.

Meanwhile, the Maoists have freed a dozen persons who they had been detaining at their detention centre