Property looted

KATHAMANDU: A group of unidentified persons looted property worth around Rs 700,000 from the house owned by one Tirth Maya Pradhan at Saraswotinagar, Kapan, on Sunday. According to a police official at the Bouddha Ward Police Office, the group armed with khukuri and iron rods overpowered the family members and took away Rs 50,000 in cash, 25 tolas of gold, five watches and other valuables amounting to Rs 700,000 from the house. Police said the cash and valuables were kept as offerings in front of a picture of Goddess Laxmi during the Laxmi puja. — HNS

Gai Puja observed

Kathmandu: Hindus across the country on Sunday observed the Gai Puja by worshipping the sacred cow. Hindus consider cow as a goddess and a representative of Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth. Hindus offered delicacies to the cows and also put garlands. They also tie the rakshyabandhan, the sacred thread which Hindus tie during the Janai Purnima, on the cow’s tail with a belief that they would be free from the cycle of lives after death and attain mokshya. Laxmi Puja and Gai Puja are usually observed on the same day but this year, they fell on two different days due to the lunar movement. — HNS

Maiden flight diverted

KATHMANDU: GMG Airlines’ Boeing MD 82 on its maiden flight from Dhaka could not land at the Tribhuwan International Airport on Sunday evening owing to technical problems. GMG Airlines with 124 passengers on board the Boeing could not land at TIA after facing technical problems around 6.53 p.m; so it diverted back to Dhaka, said Jai Dewan, managing director of Zenith Travels, General Sales Agent of the airline. The Boeing was scheduled to land at 7 p.m in the evening but faced problems around seven minutes prior to landing at TIA, according to him. — HNS

Rana’s greetings

KATHMANDU: Chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Pashupati Shumsher Rana has expressed greetings to all Nepalese on the happy occasion of new year Nepal Sambat 1127. In a message of greetings issued here on Sunday, he also expressed his best wishes for a success to the massive cultural rally due to be organised by the Nepal Bhasad Manka Khala on Monday. — RSS

Discussion held

Kathmandu: The Cease-fire Code of Conduct National Monitoring Committee recently discussed on complaints filed by different persons regarding violation of ceasefire code of conduct, with the Member of the Maoist Talks Team, Dev Gurung. — RSS