Maoists raid gas shops

BIRATNAGAR: The Maoists on Wednesday raided four Liquid Petroleum (LP) gas dealers in Biratnagar, which were creating “artificial shortage of gas”, and seized 58 gas cylinders. A team headed by the Maoists seized the cylinders. The Morang district secretary of the CPN (Maoist), Sushil, and other Maoist cadres raided dealers’ shops. — HNS

Border closed for polls

MAHENDRANAGAR: The Nepal-India border remained closed on Wednesday because of the ongoing Bidhan Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. “All the border entry points to Nepal were closed from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm because of elections, Indian officials said. Patients and foreign tourists were, however, allowed to cross the border. — RSS

Nine houses looted

GAUR: An armed gang looted Rs 500,000 from Sisawa Tole of Gaur municipality in Rautahat on Tuesday night. The gang robbed nine houses belonging to Ram Ayodhyay Das, Roshan Paswan, Abadh Das, Ram Sewak Ray, Jokhu Raya, Jado Lal Das, Khedu Singh, and Lalan Jha. — RSS

Youths robbed

DAMAULI: Two youths — Umesh Pariyar (40) and RB Sharma (36) of Gorkha — who were looted while returning home from India on Tuesday, are still unconscious. — RSS

IOE dean locked up

KATHMANDU: The student delegates of Paschimanchal Engineering Campus, Pokhara, who are here to discuss the issue of resignation of teaching staff of the campus on Wednesday locked up dean and assistant dean of the Institute of Engineering (IOE) in the former’s office. Dean Prof Dr Ram Krishna Poudel and assistant dean Chandra Bahadur Joshi were confined inside the room from 2 pm. — HNS

RJP’s plea to parties

KATHMANDU: The RJP has appealed to the government and political parties to concentrate on key issues for resolving the problems of Madhesi, janajaties, Dalits, women and other communities to establish “supreme democracy” in the country. Party chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa, in a statement on Wednesday, stated that it is high time for the government to make a conducive environment for dialogue with all the agitating outfits to ensure impartial, free and fair elections to a constituent assembly. “Since the February 1 step was a mistake on the part of the king, there is not other way than to to accept it as a mistake,” the party said. — HNS

Docs postpone strike

NARAYANGARH: Doctors of the BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, who had been on a strike since last Sunday, postponed the strike for 10 days with effect from Wednesday. Coordinator of the Struggle Committee Dr Bishwa Ram Poudel said a six-point demand was submitted to the hospital administration two months ago, adding the doctors went on the strike from Sunday as their demands were not met. He said the strike was postponed after the executive director of the hospital Dr Balman Singh Karki assured doctors on Wednesday that their demands will be met. — HNS

Nuwakot bandh

NUWAKOT: The Nuwakot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) has called an indefinite Nuwakot district bandh from Thursday to protest against police ban on sale of alcoholic substances here. “A meeting held on Wednesday decided to close district-based industries, transport, academic institutions from Thursday until the ban on the sale of alcohol is lifted,” said NCCI chairman Sharan Utsuk. — HNS

House gutted

ITAHARI: Property worth Rs 100,000 was gutted when a house belonging to Resam Lal Mehata of Basantapur-7 in Sunsari district caught fire on Wednesday, the Sunsari District Police Office said. “The fire broke out suddenly while we were preparing meal,” DSP at the District Police Office, Nara Bahadur KC, quoted a family member as saying. — HNS