Maoist injured

ITAHARI: One Maoist was injured in a scuffle between a gang of dacoits and the Maoists at Shreepur in Sunsari on Monday night. A patrolling team of the Maoists’ Jana Militia led by Binod Yadav had an encounter with three armed dacoits. A local Jana Militia, Kameshwor Khang, was injured, local Maoist leader Sagar said, adding that the injured is undergoing treatment in the Sunsari district hospital. The dacoits fled after the Maoists fired three rounds of bullets, a Maoist source said. The Maoists recovered a Chinese pistol, one bullet and one country-made gun from the dacoits, Sagar said. — HNS

Detainees’ strike

RAUTAHAT: Detainees at the Gaur Prison, who claim to be Maoists, have started an indefinite hunger strike from Tuesday demanding freedom. A detainee, Chandeshwor Baitha, said they have started the strike to press the government to free prisoners of conscience. Meanwhile, the Madhesi National Liberation Front, in a statement on Tuesday, protested the delay in releasing Maoist prisoners. — HNS

Patient missing

RAJBIRAJ: Vice-chairman of the Women Pressure Group, Saraswati Pariyar, and activist of the Action Aid (Saptari), Abhasetu Singh, stated on Tuesday that 18-year-old Anarbarti has disappeared from the Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital, where she was undergoing treatment. The two have called on the hospital to make the medical report of Anarbarti public and conduct a search for her. — RSS

Badu leaves for China

KATHMANDU: Minister of State for Information and Communication Dilendra Prasad Badu on Tuesday left Kathmandu for the city of Shanghai, China, to take part in the High-Tech Fair 2006. — HNS

Royal portraits

KATHMANDU: The Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) recently removed the portraits of the Shah kings from Prithvi Nayaran to king Gyanendra, according to a source. However, the TIA claimed that it had removed the portraits prior to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s India visit in June. Despite the restoration of democracy following the movement in April, portraits of the entire chain of the rulers including King Gyanendra were right on the walls of TIA, said the source. — HNS

Maoists free 27

Taplejung: Maoists on Tuesday released 27 of the 30 persons they had taken under their control on Saturday from Khewang VDC. Around 35 locals had staged a sit-in in front of the Maoist Village Government Office today seeking release of the detained locals. Former chairperson of Khewang VDC, Khadga Tamling, his brother Sachchh and Himaldhoj Limbu are still in captivity. — HNS

Traffickers jailed

CHITWAN: The District Court, Chitwan, on Tuesday sentenced four girl traffickers to 12 years in jail. According to the district police office, the court sentenced Sanulal Tama and Rabi Kumar Titung . The duo was arrested by police at Kusunde in Lalitpur on August 24, 2005 on charges of selling one Sanumaya Tamang of Piple in India on August 9, 2004. — HNS

HURON’s call

KATHMANDU: The Human Rights Organisation of Nepal (HURON) has urged the Maoists to release Bal Bhadra Rana, the joint secretary of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Dang, and Suman Bhandari, son of Tej Bahadur Bhandari, the RPP’s Kanchanpur district president. — HNS