15 abducted

RAUTAHAT: A group of armed cadres of Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-Jwala) on Monday abducted 15 labourers and seized five tractors from Chandi Khola of Rautahat district. The labourers had gone there to collect sand. Ten workers and five tractor drivers were abducted at Chandi Khola of Bishram VDC-4 at 4.00 pm while they were loading sand on the tractors, district police office Rautahat said. — HNS

Gang shoots man

RAJBIRAJ: A gang of unidentified persons shot dead Prabhu Narayan Yadav, an official at the Saptari District Development Committee, on Monday evening. SP Milan Basnet said Yadav, a resident of Koiladi Madhepur, was shot at the back near Kando River. Yadav was also the president of the DDC Workers’ Association. No one has claimed responsibility for his murder. — HNS

Principal thrashed

KATHMANDU: Five persons led by Amar Rai, who introduced himself as secretary of the Institutional School Teachers’ Union (ISTU), on Monday beat up Narayan Pradhan, principal of Rose Bud School at Buddhanagar and a staffer of the school, Prakash Tripathi, police said. According to a press release issued by the school, the group beat up Pradhan when he said that the school management committee would decide on the demands forwarded by the teachers. — HNS

4 held for looting

KATHMANDU: Police team from the Metropolitan Police Sector, Gaushala, on Sunday arrested four persons on charge of looting more than 20 persons at Pingalasthan, Tilganga and Bhandarkhal areas. Those arrested include Prakash Karki, 18, Roshan Bhujel, 18, Sajan Gurung, 20, and Top Bahadur Khatri, 34, police said. The police also seized 15 mobile sets, an ipod and cash Rs 9,925 from them. — HNS

Strike defied

RAMECHHAP: Undeterred by the announcement of a highway bandh from Monday by the Araniko Transport Workers’ Committee, all the Kathmandu-bound vehicles took the Araniko Highway to their destination. — HNS