KATHMANDU, May 16 - Maoists Friday confirmed that the party’s cadres had killed businessman Ram Hari Shrestha, a resident of Koteshwar in the capital a few days back.

The Maoists admitted that Shrestha, who was also the chairman of a local Tole development committee, was killed after being abducted.

Traffic at Koteshwar remained tense this afternoon following the publication of the news.

The Maoists said that Shreshta was abducted from Santimarga in the capital on April 27 and taken to the Maoist third division cantonment at Shaktikhor in Chitwan district and was killed on May 10 and thrown into the Narayani River.

A group of Maoists led by Maoist third division commander Kali Bahadur Magar ‘Bibidh’ had abducted Shrestha from Santimarga on charges of stealing Rs 1.7 million from their room.

Three brigade commanders of the Maoist third division-- Ganga Ram Thapa, Keshab Adhikari and Govinda Batala—were involved in Shrestha’s death, Superintendent of Police at Chitwan District Police Office Puskal Raj Regmi informed.