OKHALDHUNGA, March 16 - Bal Krishna Dahal, candidate of the Nepali Congress (NC) from Election Constituency no. 1 of Okhaldhunga district, was attacked by CPN-Maoist activists at Patale VDC on Sunday.

Maoist activist pelted stones and even fired at NC activists including Dahal while they were returning after addressing a NC assembly to campaign for the upcoming Constituent Polls in the remote part of the district, the party informed.

In a press release today, NC central committee Chief Secretary Shavakar Parajuli said that the Maoist assault was an attempt to murder Dahal.

The former rebels fled from the incident site after security forces mobilised for the security of the NC candidate blank fired half a dozen rounds of bullets.

NC activist Lila Dahal has been critically injured in the attack.

NC spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC said that the Maoists have created an environment for confrontational politics by physically attacking the activists and candidates of opposition parties.

The NC will be forced to retaliate across the country if they don’t stop these activities, he warned.