Birtamod shut

JHAPA: Birtamod Chamber of Commerce and Industries on Thursday shut businesses and marketplaces in the eastern Tarai town to protest Wednesday evening’s incident in which an unidentified gang fired five rounds of bullet targetting Dinesh Mittal, a cardamom trader and the chairman of local Lions Club, at his house. Window panes of the house have been shattered as a result. Entrepreneurs believe that a criminal gang could have attacked Mittal after failing to get the asked amount of ‘donation’.

Unwelcome Maoists

GORKHA: UCPN-Maoist cadres showed black flags to State Minister for Energy Chandra Singh Bhattarai, who arrived here to inspect an under-construction hydro-project sub-station on Thursday. They also chanted slogans against the minister at Haramtari in the district headquarters. Inspecting the site near the office, Bhattarai said the government was working to lessen the electricity leakage in the district and other parts of the country. He urged NEA staffers to take stern action against those involved in electricity theft.