King, Queen’s visit

BHAIRAHAWA: King Gyanendra and Queen Komal are scheduled to visit Bhairahawa day after tomorrow. Scores of welcome arches have been constructed and the bazaar area has been made spick and span in course of preparations for the royal couple’s visit. The royals are scheduled to take stock of the development activities in Siddhartha Nagar municipality and Rupandehi District Development Committee. The King will grant collective audience to the people and interact with them about their problems, said DDC chairman, Birendra Chhetri. — HNS

Lightning kills one

POKHARA: Parvati Adhikary, 40, was killed at Astam of Dhital VDC-8 of Kaski district when a lightning bolt struck her on Sunday night. Parvati, who fell unconscious after being struck by the bolt, died while undergoing treatment in Gandaki Zonal Hospital, Pokhara, the Kaski District Police Office said. — HNS

Relief for war victim

SINDHUPALCHOWK: The Sindhupalchowk District Development Committee has decided to provide Rs 20,000 cash to the family of Bam Bahadur Khatri, who was killed during the Thokarpa incident on March 27, said Nil Prasad Bhandari, DDC chairman. A meeting of the DDC held on Sunday decided to give compensation to Khatri’s family, he said. — HNS

2 killed in mishaps

RAUTAHAT/DHADING: Two persons were killed and 18 injured in three road accidents in Rautahat and Dhading on Monday. A bus conductor was killed and 12 injured when the bus bound for Gaur from Birgunj met with an accident near Harshaha VDC of Rautahat on the Birendra highway. In Dhading, one person was killed when a truck skidded off the road and fell into the Trishuli river at Krishnabhir, police said. Four members of a family and the driver were seriously injured when a taxi met with an accident at Baireni VDC on the Prithvi highway. — HNS

Girl killed in blast

SINDHUPALCHOWK: Twelve-year-old Pabitra Bharati of Kunchowk VDC, Pokhare, Sindhupalchowk, was killed in an explosion on Monday morning after she stumbled upon a bomb planted by the Maoists at Kunchowk. Ashok Thapa Magar (13) and Mana Kumari Bharati (25) were critically injured in the blast, Khelam Bahadur Giri, a local, said. — HNS

25 businessmen freed

RAMECHHAP: Maoists on Monday released 25 businessmen after holding them captive for four hours at Karambote of Manthali VDC-4. They were released on condition that they register their business houses with the Maoists. — HNS

Curfew extended

NEPALGUNJ: The Banke District Administration Office has extended curfew hours here by an hour. Curfew was in place in the district from 10.00 pm to 4.00 am in the morning since January 10, but it would begin at 9.00 pm from Monday, said CDO, Binod Kumar Adhikary. The move has been taken considering the security situation in the district, CDO Adhikari said. — HNS

Action against officer

KATHMANDU: Senior livestock development officer at the Central Sheep-Goat Promotion Office under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prasanna Koirala, has been sent to the reserve pool of the Department of Livestock Services, for speaking at the Reporters’ Club against the civil servants’ code of conduct. — RSS