RAUTAHAT, July 22 - Police on Saturday morning arrested three cadres of the Jwala Singh-led Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-J) in possession of weapons as the latter were preparing to launch an attack on Prabhu Sah of Pataura VDC, a CPN-Maoist lawmaker in the interim parliament.
Kishun Sah, another JTMM-J cadre, sustained a bullet injury when Maoist cadres retaliated against the JTMM-J men during the incident. However, JTMM-J sources said he was injured during clashes with the YCL.

Those arrested are Sanjay Mali of Manpur VDC-6, Achchhelal Sahani of Khopuwa-8 and Pyare Prasad Yadav of Bairganiya-7. Police also recovered two pistols and four rounds of ammunition from the three.

JTMM-J cadres in large numbers attempted to attack lawmaker Sah when he reached his house at Malauna of Pataura VDC Friday afternoon. However, they retreated after Maoist cadres and police reached the village before they could do anything.

According to Superintendent of Police Yogeshwor Romkhami, they were unaware that lawmaker Sah was arriving in the district. The police came to know about it only after Sah informed the Maoist leadership in Kathmandu about the incident.

Maoist district committee member Sameer said lawmaker Sah remained unscathed as his cadres intervened and retaliated against the JTMM-J cadres in time. Abhay Singh, JTMM-J "army commander" for Rautahat, said however that his men were there to take "physical action" against Maoist lawmaker Sah.

Frequent gunshots were heard in the village till late night, police said.

Maoist and JTMM-J cadres have clashed frequently in the district since a long time. JTMM-J cadres have murdered three Maoist cadres in the district so far.