ONCE-OVER

Staffers resign en masse

POKHARA: Municipal work came to a halt in Pokhara on Tuesday after the employees of Pokhara sub-metropolitan city resigned en masse due to Maoist threat. There were no one to handle the ambulance, fire brigade and garbage collection services. — HNS

Soldier hurt in attack

BARDIYA: An army man was injured when a group of Maoists opened fire on a security patrol at the Rajapur bazaar area on Tuesday, an army source said. The injured army man is undergoing treatment at the Bheri zonal hospital in Nepalgunj. The army did not retaliate fearing civilian casualties. — HNS

Murder slur on RNA

SYANGJA: The ANNISU-R district committee, Syangja, has accused the RNA of killing four of its cadres after arresting them. The district ANNISU-R chairman, Prakash Neupane, released a press statement on Tuesday claiming that its district committee vice-chairman Prithvi and three others were killed after their arrest on December 26. The ANNISU-R has called for a district bandh on January 6 to protest the RNA action. — HNS

Bus mishap toll six

PYUTHAN: The toll in Monday’s bus accident has reached six with the death of Hari Gautam of Tari, Bijuwar-7, at Daunne of Nawalparasi as he was being rushed to Kathmandu for treatment. Five persons were killed on the spot when the bus heading for Bijuwa of Pyuthan from Bhaluwang, Dang, had plunged into Madi river at Madre of Dhungedhungi VDC in Pyuthan. — HNS

Maoists own up killing

Kathmandu: The Maoists, in a press release on Tuesday, owned up the killing of Jaya Bahadur Rawal. Aditya, coordinator of the special organisation committee of Kathmandu, claimed Rawal, identifying himself as Shankar or Sagar, used to extort money in the name of CPN-Maoist. Rawal was killed at Teuda of Kathmandu on Monday. —HNS