AP staffer threatened

Nepalgunj: Timber contractors and Maoists have threatened Damodar Bhandari, the Annapuna Post correspondent, of physical action over publication of news item related with deforestation and timber smuggling. Damodar said the Maoists and contractors have threatened to kill him and have warned him not to cross the Rapti river. He has already informed the Banke chapters of Federation of Nepalese Journalists, Press Chautari and Press Union about the incident. —HNS

13 vehicles looted

NAWALPARASI: Unidentified persons looted 13 vehicles at Chormara Jungle along the Narayangarh-Butwal section of the Mahendra Highway on Thursday night. According to police inspector Bishnu Hari Koirala of the Area Police Office, Kawasoti, the robbers looted around Rs 1,00,000 from passengers and staffers of the vehicles. The gang of around 12 armed robbers looted seven trucks and six buses bound for Butwal from Naray-angarh and vice versa, police said. Some of the drivers and passengers were injured in when they tried to fight back the robbers. — HNS

Locals disrupt traffic

LEKHNATH: Locals halted traffic on the Prithvi Highway on Friday morning after a man hit by a passenger bus at Sainik Basti of Lekhnath Municipality died on Thursday. Ganga Bahadur Gurung was killed when a passenger bus bound for Pokhara from Narayangarh hit him. The locals blocked the traffic demanding compensation for the victim’s family. Traffic resumed on Friday evening. — HNS