Bhogendra Yadav, from Bhawanipur Village Development Committee, Ward 7, Siraha district, was arrested by army personnel at 5pm on 1 December. There are fears he may be at risk of torture, "disappearance" or death in custody.

According to witnesses, some 50 army personnel surrounded Bhogendra Yadav's pharmacy in Chhapradi Chowk in Siraha town, before searching it and taking Bhogendra Yadav away with them in an army truck. It is thought he is being held at the Choharba army barracks. His relatives have visited the barracks, but have not been permitted to see him.

It is believed that Bhogendra Yadav was arrested on suspicion of supplying medicines to members of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist), who are involved in an armed conflict with government forces after declaring a "people's war" in February 1996.. After armed Maoists attacked Lahan Bazar, in Siraha district, on 4 December, relatives fear that Bhogendra Yadav might be subjected to torture or killed in custody in revenge for this attack.

Before the Maoist attack on Lahan Bazar, relatives of Bhogendra Yadav contacted a local political leader and asked him to make inquiries on their behalf to the Chief District Officer, a local government official. The official replied that Bhogendra Yadav was under investigation but that "the process of his release had been started". Asked again after the Maoist attack, the Chief District Officer would say only that they were "thinking about the further process"