Last Saturday, the Indian daily Sahara published a news item in its front-page: \'One dozen leaders of Forum in detention'. According to the paper, those arrested in India's Maharajgunj police were Forum's Rupandehi president Om Prakash Yadav, youth district president Shambhu Yadav, Mohammed Kabil, Kabil Yadav, Durga Mishra, and Janardhan Yadav. As soon as the news was out, Rupandehi police contacted the Indian police, but by that time they had already been released.

Nepal police still has no idea why they were arrested or why they were released. Om Prakash faces criminal charges in Nepal. The Maoists have filed a homicide case against him. "We had informed the Indian police about those who had fled across the border, but why they weren't handed to us, we don't know," says Sub Inspector Suresh Bahadur Singh.

The Maoists have blamed Yadav and his associates for the murder of their regional bureau member and YCL central member Jitendra and district leaders Mani. They were killed on 13 June in the Marchabar area of the district. Thenews item also said the two were in hiding in India for some time to coordinate the madhesi agitation in Nepal. The Maoists, who claim there is Indian infiltration during the madhes uprising, have now more reason to believe it. Maoists leader Pampha Bhusal says: "This incident has proved it's true."

According to Bhusal, the Maoists had seen them in Nautanwa a few days ago. Following which Nepal police had sought help from the Indian police. But instead of helping, SP Prashant of Maharajgunj helped the perpetrators to flee, adds Bhusal.

The murder of a Maoists youth leader in broad daylight had jolted the Maoist leadership and they had taken it up with the home minister. The Maoists say Indian state police and Hindu extremists are protecting the madhesis. Bhusal has accused the preacher of Gorakhnath temple and BJP MLA Aditya Pandey for provoking "criminal elements" to create instability in Nepal