Indian origin industrialist shot at in Nepal

KATHMANDU: An Indian origin industrialist in eastern Nepal has been shot at for refusing to pay ransom to assailants allegedly linked to a criminal serving prison term in India.

A group of armed assailants on motorcycles shot Bikram Chandra Aggrawal, a prominent member of the Marwari community, near Ghadighara Pokhari in the industrial town of Birgunj on Friday while he was on a morning walk, they said.

According to Chairman of Birjung Industry and Commerce Association Bijaya Sarawat, a paper left by the assailants at the site of the attack said that Aggrawal was shot at for not coughing up the money as demanded by the group.

Aggrawal, proprietor of Mukti Oil Mill and Delhi Public School in Birgunj, survived the attack and sustained injuries on his left shoulder. He was later taken to Kathmandu for treatment.

Reports said that a bomb was also thrown at the spot with handwritten pamphlets.

Authorities believe that Chhotelal Sahani, a notorious criminal recently arrested by the Indian police and lodged in Bihar's Motihari jail, was behind the incident.

The group has carried out similar attacks against other businessmen in the district before. Police has launched a manhunt in the area to nab the culprits.