Dhir Bahadur Shahi, the chairman of Thantikandh Rural Municipality in Dailekh, was safely rescued from a forest in the neighbouring Kalikot district on Sunday evening, some 18 hours after his abduction.

An armed group of around 15 people had abducted Dhir Bahadur from his house in Sheripata, Dailekh, on Saturday midnight.

The District Police Office in Kalikot had deployed security personnel at various entry points suspecting that the abductors could bring Dhir Bahadur into the district.

“We have mobilised security personnel since early Sunday morning. The abductors left the chairman [Dhir Bahadur] in the forest area in Chhati at around 6pm when the security personnel encircled them,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police in Kalikot Shyam Babu Oliya. He said that the abductors, however, fled into the forest after leaving the victim. There is no human casualty, he added.

Earlier on Sunday, Dhir Bahadur’s younger brother Hasta Bahadur said the abductors had barged into the house at around midnight and taken him to an undisclosed location.

“I opened doors when somebody knocked at around midnight. A group of around 15-16 people entered the house,” Hasta Bahadur quoted Ila Shahi, the victim’s wife, as saying. “One of them asked him [Dhir Bahadur] to go with them as they had some queries. I went along with him but they turned me.”

According to Ila, the abductors have weapons. She said the assailants threatened them to remain silent, brandishing a weapon, as she attempted to shout for help soon after the abduction.

After walking for around two hours, she returned home as the assailants threatened of dire consequences if she accompanied her husband, Ila told the family members.

Issuing a statement on Sunday, the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal had claimed responsibility for the incident. The party has accused Dhir Bahadur of embezzling budget of the local unit and spying against them.

Purna Chandra Joshi, Deputy Inspector General Police of Karnali Provincial Police Office, said the Chand group was involved in the incident. “The chairman is safe now. Search is on to detain the accused,” he said.

According to Hasta Bahadur, the Chand group has been charging his brother for embezzling budget of the rural municipality. The group had abducted Hasta Bahadur and freed him a few days ago.

In March, the government had labelled the Chand outfit a criminal group and banned its activities as the outfit continued violent activities including explosions and extortions. Five persons were killed in separate blasts carried out by the group in Kathmandu earlier this year.