14 hurt in clash

RAUTAHAT: Fourteen persons were injured when Nepali Congress and CPN-UML cadres clashed in Gigadia VDC on Thursday, following a row over distribution of posts in a forest users’ committee. Eight CPN-UML cadres and six NC workers were injured in the clash, the police said. NC cadres Nek Mahommad of Birta VDC and Ati Ullaha of Gigadia VDC, who are being treated in Gaur, are said to be in critical condition. — HNS

Schools shut

DAMAK: Educational institutions in Jhapa remained closed on Thursday due to a four-day strike called by Sanghiya Bidyarthi Union, demanding the authorities meet their 14-point demand. Their demands include formulation of a federal educational policy and free higher education for the students from the indigenous communities. As the students, schools and guardians were not aware of the strike, the students had to return home after reaching the schools. — HNS

Office torched

SURKHET: A new-formed little known armed outfit, Pahadi Mukti Morcha, torched the office of Latikoili VDC in Surkhet on Tuesday night. According to the police, furniture and documents of the office were destroyed in the arson. The police have arrested a person on suspicion of his involvement in the arson. An unidentified group had attacked a police post in the district earlier as well. — HNS

Kids hurt

SARLAHI: Three children were injured when a stray bomb went off in Balara VDC of Sarlahi on Thursday. They were injured when they were playing with it near Ramsakhi Mohit Singh Janata Higher Secondary School, by taking it for a playing material, the police said. The injured children are third grader Manu Kumar Shah (10), sixth grader Anuj Kumar Kapad (12) and fourth grader Rabi Kumar Chaudhary (9). They are undergoing treatment Tri-Chandra Hospital in Malangwa. — HNS

Huts razed

SIRAHA: The District Forest Office demolished 14 out of 72 illegally built huts in a forest in Taregana VDC-5 on Wednesday. A joint team comprising DFO Shambhu Prasad Chaurasiya and Nepal Police and Armed Police Force personnel demolished the shacks constructed in the land belonging to the Churedanda Community Forest. — HNS

Drug claims life

KALIKOT: A person was killed here after taking herbal medicine on Thursday morning. Former chairman of Manma VDC, Ratna Prasad Baral, 40, died after he took herbal medicine, which he had bought from a street vendor at Jitebazaar of Bharta VDC. He vomited blood and died an hour after taking the medicine. He was a member the CPN-UML’s district organisation department. The party expressed condolence over his death and said an investigation into his mysterious death was on. — HNS

Girl found dead

KATHMANDU: Police have found the body of Kabita Pathak, 19, of Trishuli hanging in a room of a newly opened guest house at Thamel. The body was found in Room No 102 of Universal Guest House on Wednesday night. Pathak used to live in Naya Bazaar. Police said they were probing the case. — HNS