Smuggler, two villagers killed

JANAKPUR: A clash between villagers and timber smugglers left two villagers, a timber smuggler dead and four injured at Bharatpur VDC, Dhanusha, on Thursday, police said. The injured are undergoing treatment at the Janakpur Zonal Hospital. The clash erupted when smugglers opened fire on villagers trying to prevent the former from felling trees. Police identified the deceased villagers as Yugeshwor Yadav and Ram Janam Yadav of Bharatpur-2. The dead smuggler was identified as Bali Ram Yadav of Godar VDC-5. — HNS

Govt staffers halt work

CHARIKOT: In support of the ongoing movement for democracy, employees of a dozen government and semi-government bodies of Dolakha district, including the District Development Committee, Agriculture Development Bank, Drinking Water and Sanitation Office, District Cooperative, District Forest Office, Nepal Bank and Rastriya Banijya Bank began a pen-down strike on Thursday, chairman of the Federation of Professionals’ Association, Tika Dulal, said. — HNS

Minister’s house robbed

Rautahat: A group of 55 Maoists looted cash and goods worth thousands of rupees from the house of Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Govinda Chaudhari at Bhawanipur VDC on Wednesday and detonated bombs there, police said. The group decamped with 10 quintal of rice, 20 quintal of paddy, two quintal of lentils, seven tolas of gold, 1.5 kg of silver, a TV set, a tape recorder and cash from Chaudhari’s house. Locals said the Maoists went looted and bombed the house after forcing Chaudhari’s elder sister out of the house. SP Keshav Prasad Adhikari confirmed the incident. — HNS