Thursday, February 10 2005 12:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Siwan: After a series of kidnapping of school children, doctors and businessmen, which had sparked off public outrage in Bihar, an independent candidate Kamar-Ul-Haq was abducted by unidentified gunmen in Bihar's Siwan district, officials said today (Feb 10, 2005).

The kidnappers overtook Haq's car near Siswan railway crossing yesterday (Feb 9, 2005) when he was on his campaign trail, pulled him out, forced him to board their vehicle at gun-point and sped away, deputy police superintendent Ramvilas Mahato said.

Special task force (STF) has been engaged to carry out raids for tracing the candidate, he said.

Haq is locked in a multi-corner contest with Congress legislature party leader Vijay Shankar Dubey, former Bihar Minister and Independent Vikram Kuer and notorious gangster Ajay Singh in Raghunathpur Assembly constituency in Siwan, a stronghold of controversial RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) MP Shahabuddin.

A spate of kidnappings, which sparked off public protests, has become a major electoral issue for the main contenders for power in Bihar.