Mayoral candidate shot dead in Janakpur (4:05 PM)

A group of assailants have shot dead Bijay Lal Das, a mayoral candidate of the terai-based Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP), in southern town of Janakpur Sunday afternoon.

Body of NSP leader Bijay Lal Das after he was shot from close range in Janakpur on Sunday (Photo courtesy : Rahul Singhaniya, Janakpur)

Latest reports say, a group of armed people shot Das from close range as he was staying at his party office near `Shiva chowk’ of Janakpur municpality. He died on the spot.

NSP had projected Das-- president of Dhanusha district unit of the party-- as its candidate in the forthcoming polls for the post of Mayor of Janakpur municipality. Nominations for the elections have been slated on Thursday (Jan 26) and the polls are to take place on February 8, this year.

Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack but police blame the Maoists for the incident According to police, the assailants had used Chinese pistols to attack Das.

There has been no word from the Maoists as yet regarding the latest attack on the NSP leader.

NSP is represented in the royal cabinet and is the only major party so far that has announced its participation in the forthcoming polls. nepalnews.com by Jan 22 06