Hooch claims two more lives

Rautahat: Hooch claimed lives of two more persons in Rautahat today. Akul Mandal of Bara’s Kopawa VDC and Asim Majhi of Akadapakada of Rautahat’s Birta Gamhariya VDC died while undergoing treatment at Dankan hospital in Raxaul, according to the police. The two fell unconscious after drinking the liquor on Sunday. The hooch had claimed four lives yesterday. The police said the liquor shops in the village areas had been closed and a sample of the product of Baba Distillery had been sent for tests. — HNS

Minister faces locals’ wrath

ITAHARI: Agitating landless people of Sunsari’s Bhantabari took Minister for Forest and Land Conservation Kiran Gurung under control for an hour on Tuesday for defying their bandh and not paying heed to their demands. Gurung was returning from Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve after inaugurating a bird festival. He was let free after he promised to address the problems of landless people. — HNS

Bandh hits life

RAUTAHAT: The bandh called by several political parties and student organisations in Chandranigahpur of Rautahat since Monday, demanding the government set up the proposed Integrated Service Centres, affected normal life here for the third day on Wednesday. The agitators accused the government of shelving the plan under pressure from a certain section of people. — HNS

Sent-up test

disrupted

DANG: Sent-up test and other activities were disrupted in Shodasha Higher Secondary School in Achham after the students padlocked the school administration office on Wednesday. The test on first paper of the optional subject was disrupted on Wednesday after secondary and higher secondary level students padlocked the school, demanding a cut in fees. The students also demanded transparency in incomes and expenditures of the school. They said

the lockout would continue until their demands were met. — HNS

Manipal to

reopen today

POKHARA: Manipal Teaching Hospital in Pokhara that was shut for the last three days will resume operations on Thursday after hospital administration agreed to raise the salary of the agitating staffers by Rs 1,650 per month and give permanent appointment to those who have served for at least 240 days. — HNS