Property gutted

RUPANDEHI: Property worth lakhs of rupees was damaged when a house and cowshed belonging to Bisnhu Acharya of Makrahar-6 was gutted in fire on Wednesday night, police said, adding that the two family members got injured in the incident. “Locals and police doused the fire with the help of a fire engine,” police said. Meanwhile, property worth lakhs of rupees was damaged when fire broke out in Lumbini Laundry and Thai Cleaner at Kalikanagar in Butwal due to short circuit on Wednesday. “Fire broke out in Chure Community Forest and Siddhababa Community Forest on Thursday night. However, it didn’t destroy much,” chairman of Chure Community Forest Ram Chandra Bhusal said. — HNS

TB claims one

SANKHUWASABHA: Thirty-one-year-old Dil Sundar Rai of Dhupu VDC-5 died of tuberculosis (TB) on Friday, chief at district tuberculosis treatment centre, Roshan Shrestha said. Rai, who was undergoing treatment at the Sankhuwasabha district hospital, for eight months, succumbed to the disease, doctor at the district hospital, Pradip Prasad Subedi, said. — HNS

Goods stolen

BARA: Goods worth one lakh rupees was stolen from Sujata Traders at Simraungarh bazaar in Bara on Wednesday night. “Goods including cooking oil and ghee worth one lakh rupees was stolen from the shop,” Simraungarh Police Office said. — HNS

Mukherjee’s take

NEW DELHI: India’s Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee said on Friday that he was not aware if king Gyanendra has sought asylum in India. To a query on this by journalists at a programme here on the issue of greater economic cooperation between India and Gulf countries, Mukherjee said: “I have no information about anyone asking for asylum in India. I also have no answers to hypothetical questions.” — HNS

BJP pleased with polls

NEW DELHI: India’s main opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party, on Wednesday said that it welcomed Nepal’s April 10 successful and peaceful Constituent Assembly election. “We are pleased that Nepal’s CA polls concluded successfully, we welcome it. The Nepali people should now evince greater democratic strength and the government of Nepal should empower

the people even more,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Jawadkar said. — HNS

PM sends greetings

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Friday extended congratulations to the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan, Jigmi Yoszer Thinley on his assumption as the first democratically elected Prime Minister of the Kingdom. Also on Friday, PM Koirala extended felicitations and best wishes to Pope Benedict XVI of The Vatican City, on the auspicious occasion of the day of his Pontification. PM Koirala expressed his best wishes for the Pope Benedict’s eternal success in service of humanity and peace. — RSS

One killed in mishap

BIRGUNJ: Bhairav Bahadur Thapa, 60, of Bardibas-5 in Mahottari district, who was here to receive pension, was found dead in the Sainik Sangam Lodge in Birgunj’s bus park on Thursday. “Reportedly, Thapa died after he fell from the stairs in the hotel, in which he suffered head injury. However, investigation into the incident is underway,” ASI Salam Singh Tamang said. — HNS

Locals obstruct road

PATHLAIYYA: Locals of Pathlaiyya in Bara on Friday blocked the road for two hours to protest against the manhandling and arrest of Sher Bahadur Shrestha. Police held Shrestha on Thursday night to grill him about his alleged involvement in extortion. Locals manhandled ASI Juwahi Prasad Yadav when police tried to foil their blockade. Several persons were injured in police action. — HNS

Driver found dead

POKHARA: A taxi driver who was sleeping in a taxi was found dead at Bulaudi in Pokhara-7 on Friday. Driver Bishnu Prasad Dahal, 31, a resident of Chukurepokhari-3 who had slept in his taxi (Ga 1 Ja 3529) with all the windows of the taxi closed on Thursday night was found dead. — HNS