Kavre, June 3 -- A local elected representative has been arrested for allegedly dismantling and selling off parts of a bridge destroyed by last year's monsoon floods, police said on Tuesday.

Ashok Gautam, chair of ward 7 in Roshi Rural Municipality, was detained after investigators found he had sold remnants of a washed-away iron bridge to scrap dealers and received payment through mobile banking.

The bridge, which linked Namobuddha Municipality-6 and Roshi-7 in Kavre district, was swept away in September last year during days of torrential rain that caused widespread flooding.

"Remaining metal parts from the damaged bridge were sold without authorisation," said Deputy Superintendent of Police Min Bahadur Ghale. "Payment records and de...