Kathmandu: A Nepali Congress party candidate was detained by Indian security forces after he inadvertently entered an Indian village while campaigning for the key constituent assembly polls.

Sitaram Mehata, a candidate from Sunsari-4 constituency in southern Nepal, strayed into the Indian territory of Kaptangunj, which lies across the Terai border.

India's Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) detained him briefly. Later, Nepalese police personnel escorted him back.

Mehata said he saw Nepali Congress party flag fluttering in the area and thought that some party workers were canvassing for the polls.

"The Indian forces did not actually arrest me, neither did they misbehave with me," he said.

Nepal is holding the key constituent assembly polls on April 10 for a special assembly to rewrite the country's interim constitution and decide the fate of the 239-year old monarchy in the Himalayan nation.

The assembly was the main demand of Nepal's seven main political parties, including the Maoists, who teamed up in April 2006 and orchestrated weeks of protests and unrest that resulted in King Gyanendra giving up dictatorial powers he had seized the year before. 

Source : PTI