Pokhara bazaar firing

POKHARA: A gunshot was heard around Ram Bazaar of Pokhara Submetropolis-10 on Friday evening, but there was no human casualty, police said. It is not clear who was behind the firing. The firing took place near Ram Bazaar Ward Police Office, with the bullet piercing the window of the nearby house of Lalit Gurung, a local, police said, adding, no member of Gurung’s family was hurt. — HNS

RNA aerial operation

KAPILVASTU: Gorusinghe-based Shivdal Battalion of the Royal Nepalese Army carried out aerial patrols of the prohibited areas in Kapilvastu district throughout Friday night. The locals were terrified during the aerial patrols. The patrols were aimed at warding off an untimely Maoist attack, battalion chief Baburam Shrestha, said, adding, such aerial patrols would continue. Meanwhile, security forces on Saturday defused two bombs planted by the Maoists at Abhiraw area of Kapilvastu district. — HNS

Maoists seize vehicle

NEPALGUNJ: Maoists on Saturday afternoon took a vehicle belonging to the Babai Irrigation Project under their control from Mohadpur VDC of Bardiya on the Gulariya-Nepalgunj road section. The vehicle (Ko 1 Cha 170) was bound for Nepalgunj from Gulariya, the district headquarters of Bardiya. Before taking under their control the vehicles, Maoists forced the staffers to disembark, security sources said. — HNS

Dacoits shoot one

BARA: A group of six armed dacoits shot dead one Motilal Kusawaha, 26, a resident of Shreenagar Bairiya-9, Bara, on Friday. The group entered his house and demanded the key of a safe but he denied. Then the group shot him and he died while being taken to Kalaiya for treatment, said the Bara District Police Office. — HNS

Writers’ meet

KATHMANDU: The fourth Nepal-India Nepali Writers’ Conference began here on Saturday. A total of 60 Nepali literati including 50 from Nepal and 10 from India are taking part in the two-day conference organised by the BP Koirala Nepal-India Academy. Inaugurating the conference, Rastrakabi Madhav Ghimire said literature helps maintain the cordiality in the relationship between the two countries. Indian Ambassador to Nepal and Co-Chairman of the Academy Shiv Shanker Mukherjee said the Nepali language is a precious wealth for both India and Nepal. — RSS

Disease identified

DHANGADI: The primary investigation has revealed that the Fowl Pox Virus and Newcastle Virus are responsible for the death of chicken in Ghorahi village of Urma VDC, Kailali District. The study was carried out by a team of experts from the Regional Livestock Disease Eradication Laboratory, Dhangadi on Friday after a large number of chicken started dying. “The symptoms of infection of Pox Virus and Newcastle Virus are seen as the cause of the death of chicken owned by various villagers of during the investigation carried out by the team of experts,” chief of the Laboratory Dr Raju Gautam said. — RSS

Awareness on HIV

BIRATNAGAR: A discussion and review of various programmes carried out in connection with prevention of HIV/AIDS and drugs abuse was jointly organised here by the District Public Health Office and Health Group, Biratnagar, amidst the authorities of local bodies on Saturday. Some 50 persons including representatives of various organisations, drug addicts, media persons participated in a day-long programme. More than 700 IDUs have been identified in around the areas of Biratnagarand Belbari VDC. — RSS

Interaction held

RAMECHHAP: The Madan-Ashrit Memorial Building, Manthali, organised an interaction programme on Friday to raise awareness against the landmines and its consequences. The participants of the programme stressed on the need to prohibit landmines as the victims of landmines constitute mostly the children, innocent civilians and non-combatant population. — RSS

One dies in mishap

SANKHUWASABHA: Surendra Thapa, 61, of Sitalpati VDC -2 of died on the spot when he was crushed by a tree while cutting a tree for electricity pole. The deceased Thapa was taken to the Khandbari hospital three hours walk away by villagers for post mortem, on Friday. — RSS