Property looted

NEPALGUNJ: Alleged Maoists on Friday night looted a house belonging to CPN-UML Gobre Prasad Barma and also beat up six persons in Khurd Khajura of Banke. Around 60 looters, claiming to be cadres of Madheshi Morcha of the Maoists, looted property including a tractor and a motorcycle from Gobre’s house and beat up six persons including Prahlad Nau, Binod Kurmi, Rajaraj Yadav and Ghanshyam Yadav. Regional president of Nepali Congress (Democratic), Jagannath Pathak, was also charged of involvement. — HNS

Scholar feted

JANAKPURDHAM: Dr Shyama Kumari Mahato, the first woman to complete Ph.D in Maithili language and literature in Nepal, was honoured here on Saturday by the Bibidha Maithili Forum. On the occasion, Chief of Tribhuvan University Central Department of Maithili, Dr Pashupatinath Jha said that Maithili language has not flourished as it should have because it has not received proper attention and protection of the state. — RSS

Relief provided

BARA: The District Administration Office, Bara, provided Rs 100,000 to the family of Hira Lal Gautam who had attained martyrdom during the Jana Andolan on April 17 at Nijgadh. Chief District Officer Shanta Raj Subedi handed over the cheque to Gautam’s father Khada Nanda at the latter’s residence at Nijgadh on Friday. CDO Subedi also handed over Rs 5,000 in cash

to Khada Nanda on behalf of Karmachari Milan Kendra. Also, Shree Krishna Subedi of Himrights Bara handed over Rs 33,555 collected by Plan Nepal and other NGOs to Gautam family. — HNS

Fund established

SYANGJA: Nepalis living and working in Japan have provided Rs 100,000 to the Tek Nath Memorial Trust of Chitre Bhanjyang, Syangja. The Trust has been operating for welfare of the elderly. A permanent fund of Rs 100,000 has been established from the sum, which was collected recently at a programme in Gunmaken of Japan, said Ram Raj Rijal, patron of the fund. — HNS

Federal structure

JANAKPUR: Nepali Congress-Democratic general secretary Bimalendra Nidhi on Saturday stressed the need to develop an improved egalitarian governance system at a time when the nation is standing at a glorious historic junction. He said this while speaking at a prize distribution programme organised by Janakpur Today. Founder of the newspaper Shyam Sundar Rashi was given away the ‘Janakpur Today Best award - 2006’. — RSS

Property gutted

BARA: Property worth Rs 1.5 million was gutted in a fire that spread in the Gupta Fancy Stores at Jitpur on Tuesday. Two photocopy machines, four refrigerators and readymade garments and others were destroyed in the fire. — RSS

Meeting held

DAMAULI: The first meeting of the stakeholders of the Upper Seti Watershed Hydroelectric Project, hosted jointly by Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) concluded in Damauli on Friday. General Manager of NEA Engineering service, Bhoj Raj Regmi, highlighted the background of the project. Meanwhile, leader of Japanese Study Team Yosimasayisi presented working paper on the research carried out by JICA. — RSS

Interaction on CA

Lamjung: The Joint Dalit Struggle Committee (Lamjung) organised an interaction on ‘Access and Role of Dalits in the Election to Constituent Assembly (CA)’ on Saturday. Speakers at the programme, including NC leader Anand Ghimire, dwelt on the role to be played by the Dalits and their involvement in the election to a Constituent Assembly. — RSS

ANNISU-R meet

Dipayal: The third Doti district convention of the Maoist-aligned students’ union, ANNISU-R, concluded in Silgadhi on Friday, electing Parbati Bista the chairman, Harimaya Bam the vice-chairman, Bharat Bohra secretary, Tekendra Khadka joint secretary and Bimal Dhami treasurer of the district committee of the ANNISU-R. The committee has 23 members. The elected officials were sworn in by central member of the ANNISU-R Nawaraj Bhat. — HNS

Documentary shown

Kathmandu: Machcha Nayo (The Leader), a documentary prepared by director Deepak Rauniyar and centred on the Model House based in Bhaktapur, was screened at Gurukul theatre on Saturday. The documentary was produced by Rabindra Puri, who was honoured with the Asia Pacific Heritage Award last year. According to Puri, the producer of the documentary, desire to own traditional Nepali houses has not waned among the Nepalis. — RSS