Property gutted

RAUTAHAT: Property worth Rs 5 lakhs was destroyed when a factory located in Gangapipara VDC of Rautahat district caught fire on Tuesday night. The factory building of local Rajesh Chaudhary was completely destroyed in the fire, Rautahat district police office said. According to the preliminary investigation of the police, short circuit was the cause of the incident. — HNS

Passengers robbed

RAJBIRAJ: An unidentified gang on Wednesday looted a passenger bus at Bisanpura in Saptari district along the Mahendra Highway. The armed gang stopped the bus that was heading for the west, and looted cash, gold ornaments, mobile sets from the

passengers, victims said. In another incident, an unidentified gang abducted a bus driver, Bhoj Raj Dulal (36) of Motigahda in Udayapur, from Bhardaha in Saptari on Wednesday morning. — HNS

Project for women

KATHMANDU: Stichting Veldwerk, the Netherlands (SNV) recently signed a project agreement worth $1 million with the Social Welfare Council. As per the agreement, the SNV will launch programmes for women and children. Founder of the SNV Rene Veldt said his organisation will, together with nine local non-government organisations, will launch a project covering 40

village development committees of five districts. He added that its scholarship programme will cover over 300 children in Sindhupalchowk. Six day care centres and health posts will be set up and community programmes will be launched for women and children. — HNS

Prachanda meets PM

KATHMANDU: Maoist chairman Prachanda and his deputy Dr Baburam Bhattarai met Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at Baluwatar on Wednesday. They held discussions on the immediate implementation of 23-point pact signed on December 23, a Maoist source said. — HNS

Businessman robbed

Rautahat: A group of dacoits looted property worth Rs 7 lakh from the house of businessman Dharmanath Shah at Garuda Bazaar of Rautahat on Wednesday. The group looted cash, ornaments and other goods from the house, SP Laxman Neupane said, adding Bhola Sahani of Bara has been arrested in connection with the looting. — HNS

Poisoning kills toddler

BARA: One-and-a-half-years old Samsed Seikh of Bhodaha- 6 died while persons have taken ill after they drank poison-laced tea on Tuesday night. Police said Seikh died after drinking tea served at Seikh Badri’s house. All the poisoning victims were rushed Birgunj for further treatment. The police suspect the tea was mistakenly laced with pesticide. — HNS

CIAA grills Chaudhari

KATHMANDU: The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Wednesday interrogated Hari Bahadur Chaudhari, a member of the disbanded Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC), for his role in corruption and abuse of authority by the commission. — HNS