Sitaula visits inmates

KATHMANDU: Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula on Saturday met inmates of different prisons of the Valley and exchanged greetings for the ongoing Tihar festival. Accompanied by CDO Mod Raj Dotel and senior security officers, Sitaula visited the Sadarkhor Prison at Dillibazaar, Central Jail, Bhadragol Jail and Bhadra Mahila Bandi Griha. “For the first time in the history of Nepal, a Home Minister visited different jails in the Valley and talked to them at a time when the state has begun meeting demands of the inmates, who were on agitation,” CDO Dotel said. Sitaula had told the inmates that the government is preparing to cut punishment of the inmates to the maximum possible extent. Hundreds of inmates of the Sadarkhor prison ended their agitation recently after staging fast-unto-death for 40 days. — HNS

Procession taken out

LALITPUR: The Nepal Bhasa Manka Khala Lalitpur and 15 other ethnic organisations organised a morning procession to mark the Nepal Sambat 1128. The procession started after garlanding the portrait of national luminary Shankhadhar Sakhwa at Pulchok and went through Ga Bahal, Sundhara and other places and ended at Lagankhel. — HNS

Dance form in peril

LALITPUR: The Kattik Nach (dance) Prabhandha Samiti has said it has faced financial problems to stage the Kattik dance. The dance is shown in Kartik Dabali of Patan. The Samiti asked for Rs 2.3 lakh from the government, but only Rs 59, 900 was sanctioned, said manager and director of the samiti Hariman Shrestha. Shrestha said only Rs 1.06 lakh has been obtained from various sources. The dance used to be performed for 15 days — from Kartik Krishna Pratipada to Purnima. Nowadays, the dance is performed for eight days — from Shasthi to Trayodashi. — RSS

Motorcycle rally

MADHYAPUR THIMI: General secretary of the CPN-UML, Madhav Kumar Nepal, on Saturday inaugurated a motorcycle rally organised by the Dheula-based Kumari Club at Bhelukhe. The rally was taken out to mark the New Year 1128 of Nepal Sambat and Deepawali. Nepal said a republic should be declared before the constituent assembly (CA) polls. The seven parties should hold a meeting immediately after Tihar to announce the republic, he said. — RSS