election programme

Kathmandu: The Election Commission is to publish on Tuesday the detailed election programme for the upcoming municipal elections scheduled for February 8. According to the Election Commission, nomination of candidacy and publication of the list of candidates will take place on January 26, protest and complaint against the candidacy will take place on January 27, withdrawal of candidate on January 28 and the publication of final list of candidates along with their election symbol will take place on January 28. — RSS

Cadres, cops clash

Dhankuta: Cadres of the seven agitating political parties and police clashed here on Monday during the former’s rally taken out for a boycott of the coming municipal poll. The clash occurred when police tried to prevent the participants from joining the rally, which was organised by the municipal poll boycott coordination committee, Dhankuta. The demonstration began from Dhankuta’s Madan chowk and went around Hulaktole, Tallokopche, Hatiya, Mathillo Kopche and Bhimnarayan chowk. Trouble erupted when the police tried to stop the demonstrators at Bhimsensthan. Witnesses said the police also misbehaved with journalists present there. Rajkumar Rai, undersecretary of the CPN-UML, chairman of the Nepali Congress (Democratic), Manoharnarayan Shrestha, Gopal Bishwokarma of Janamorcha Nepal, Yagya Guragai of the Nepali Congress addressed the protesters on the occasion. —HNS

NC(D) nomination

Kathmandu: Chairperson of Nepali Congress (Democratic) Sher Bahadur Deuba has appointed Bidur Prasad Poudel (Khotang) the member of the Party’s Central Working Committee, the Party said. — RSS

Ordinance issued

Kathmandu: The Local Autonomy (First Amendment) Ordinance, 2062 B.S. has been recently introduced, the Ministry of Local Development said. —RSS

Panel meeting

Kathmandu: The High Level Steering Committee constituted by the government as commanded by the King to develop Nepal as a transit point between India and the People’s Republic of China met for the first time under the chairmanship of the committee’s chairman and Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Buddhi Man Tamang at his office on Monday. The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies said the meeting decided to give high priority to realising Nepal’s readiness to become a transit point between the two neighbouring nations by holding consulting. — RSS

Crown Prince’s visit

MAHOTTARI: Crown Prince Paras and Crown Princess Himani are scheduled to visit here on January 24 for inauguration of the newly built covered hall being built by the Karmachari Milan Kendra Mahottari. A 235-member main felicitation committee and seven sub committees have been constituted under the coordination of the district judge Kumar Pokharel of the district court, judge Pokharel told this daily. — HNS

Dacoits loot 90 houses

SARLAHI: Armed dacoits looted Rs 1 million worth of properties from 90 houses at Sarlahi district’s Khairwa and Boharwa VDC, on Sunday night. Three persons were injured in the dacoits’ assault. Police inspector of the district police office Sarlahi, Rajkumar Silwal, confirmed the looting, but couldn’t provide details. — HNS

Office blasted

JHAPA: Suspected Maoists exploded five socket bombs aiming at the Bhadrapur Municipality office at 6:15 p.m. on Monday. The Maoists shot at the municipality office from the west direction and in retaliation the security personnel deployed at the municipality office fired back. The Maoists then fled the scene. The incident damaged the window panes of a quarter of the fire brigade, said incharge of the fire brigade, Chandra Bahadur Poudel. — HNS

Explosives seized

KATHMANDU: Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has recovered 27,000 detonators and 11 quintals of gellitine in Bahuni area of Morang district. “The large amount of explosive was seized when it was being transported through that area,” stated a press statement issued by the Ministry of Defence on Monday. — HNS

Woman gang raped

BIRATNAGAR: A 50-year-old woman was gang raped at Satasi Dham-1, Dhundamari of Jhapa district on Sunday night. She is undergoing treatment at the Mechi Zonal Hospital and is reported to be in a very critical state, Sub Inspector of Area Police Office, Jhiljhile, Kailash Chaudhari said. Five local youths had raped the woman near her residence a little after midnight, Chaudhari said. Police has arrested 18-year-old Bikram Tamang who was involved in the incident. Dinesh Subba, Sher Bahadur Subba and two others who were involved are absconding. — HNS

Body found

GAIGHAT: Mutilated body of an infant was found at Musune Village of Triyuga Municipality-4 on Monday. The head and hands of the body were cut off. Locals had informed the police after finding the body that was being dragged by dogs. Locals said the infant was not older than a day. Police has started investigation. — HNS