Passengers stranded

BUTWAL: The Butwal-Palpa section of Siddhartha Highway has remained disrupted following a heavy rainfall on Friday night. Hundreds of passengers have been stranded on the highway. Three bull-dozers from Butwal and one from Palpa have been pressed into service to clear the highway. The Road Department said traffice will resume on the highway within two days. — RSS

Crushed to death

DAMAULI: Twenty-two-year-old Baneshwor Thapa of Sabhung VDC-3 in Damauli was crushed to death. According to the police, Thapa was killed on the spot when a electric poll collapsed and fell on him. Basanta Thapa, 21, was injured in the incident. — RSS

UML panel meet

KATHMANDU: The recently held general assembly of the CPN-UML Saptari-Kathmandu Liaison Forum has elected a nine-member new working committee under the chairmanship of Shatrughan Chaudhary. Shankar Niraula is the secretary of the new working committee. The gathering passed a special proposal demanding construction of an alternative highway from Chatara of Sunsari to Kanchanpur of Saptari via Rampur Thoksila and Fattepur. — RSS

Ghimire feted

Kathmandu: The Khilmika Laxmi Mainali Award for literature has been presented this year to litterateur Jagadish Ghimire and the Award for law and justice to former judge of the Supreme Court Kedarnath Acharya. The Award was instituted by Mainali Service Institution.Chief Justice Kedar Prasad Giri presented the Awards to Ghimire and former judge Acharya. At the programme, cash award of Rs 10,000 and copper plaque each was presented to Sagar Mainali and Nihalika Mainali who secured highest marks in SLCexaminations last year from among boys and girls from Mainali community.— RSS

Abductee killed

RAUTAHAT: Twenty-eight-year-old Indu Patel of Bishrampur VDC-8 in Rautahat district was found murdered on the bank of Chandi stream on Saturday, the police said. According to the police, an armed gang had abducted Indu, son of Nabalal of Dhanari Tole, from his home on

Friday. SP Ramesh Thapa said the police have launched a manhunt to nab the killers. — HNS

UN plea for rights

KATHMANDU: United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has said even as human rights are essential to peace, too many people around the world still have their rights violated, especially during and after armed conflict. “That is why we must ensure that the rights in the Declaration are a living reality — that they are known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere. It is often those who most need their human rights protected, who also need to be informed that the Declaration exists — and it exists for them,” Moon said in a message to mark International Day of Peace on Sunday. This year the celebration of International Day of Peace holds special significance as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Moon said in the message. — HNS

Robber arrested

ITAHARI: The Police on Saturday held a member of the gang involved in looting Rs 17 lakh that was being taken to the office of Pathari-based Himal Remit four days ago. Kamal Tamang of Bayarban VDC-7, considered the master-mind behind the lootings of several financial institutions, was held on Saturday, Itahari area police office said. “Tamang has revealed the identify of six other persons involved in the looting. They will be held soon.” — HNS

Blackout in Bhojpur

BHOJPUR: Bhojpur district has remained without electricity for the last two days following a technical snag in the Bhojpur Power House. Computer institutes and factories in the district have been the wrost hit. The electricity disruption has also affected the terminal examinations of several schools in the district. — HNS