Teachers stage rally

Kathmandu: Contract teachers of Tribhuvan University on Friday staged a silent rally with black bands covring their mouth. They marched from the TU premises, Kirtipur, to Shantibatika and converged at Ratnapark, in a bid to pressure the government to fulfil their demands. Dhakaram Sapkota, joint coordinator, Contract Professors' Co-ordination Committee, said more than hundred contract teachers working in the constituent campuses of TU, participated in the rally. The teachers have been demanding permanent status through internal competition.

Reporter thrashed

Dharan: Police allegedly thrashed Chandra Mani Kattel, a reporter for the Dharan-based daily Blast Times, on Thursday night. Head Constable Chitra Ranjan Sahani and Constable Deepak Khatri allegedly thrashed him when he reached the site to collect news of a dispute between a driver and the police in Putali Line. Issuing a statement, Sunsari chapter of Federation of Nepali Journalists condemned the incident, demanding the culprits be brought to book. Local journalists demanded that the government provide them security.

46 houses gutted

Pyuthan: As many as 46 houses were gutted by a fire that broke out in Syaulibang VDC in northern Pyuthan this afternoon. Police said the houses, in Wards No 5, 6 and 7, were destroyed in the fire that started from a house in ward No 5 at 13:45 hours. Widespread destruction was caused since many houses were adjoined. However, there has not been any human casualty as the fire broke out during the day. The cattle have also been saved. Naumati Pun, a local, said efforts were on to extinguish the fire with water and soil though water was scarce in the village. Thirty-three of the houses had thatched roofs while one had corrugated iron.