Courier sack found

SYANGJA: A sack containing important official documents and letters was found near Hotel Parvat Dhaulagiri at the Bal Mandir Chowk of Syangja district on Thursday. It contained 79 courier-service brought letters addressed to the district police office, revenue department, electricity office and municipality. According to the Syangja district post office chief Jitendra Jung KC, the air cargo sack numbered 156167 arrived in Pokhara by Yeti airlines on December 28. KC said the courier receipts showed that the letters were sent in October. — HNS

Robbery in five houses

BIRATNAGAR: A gang of masked robbers, who identified themselves as Maoist cadres, looted five houses in Morang district on Wednesday night. The gang made away with Rs 2 lakh in cash, mobile phone sets and gold and silver ornaments from the houses of Sushil Shrestha, Prem Bahadur Shrestha, Dhanendra Shrestha, Nara Bahadur Shrestha and Meen Bahadur Bishwokarma, police said, adding that manhunt for those involved in the robbery was underway. — HNS

‘Plagiarist’ jailed

BIRATNAGAR: The Morang district court issued an order on Thursday to send managing director of Jigyasu Publication Thuleshwor Thapa, who was accused of plagiarism, to jail after he failed to pay Rs 1 lakh bail on Wednesday. Single bench of chief judge Nawaraj Upadhyaya issued the order. Mohan Basnet of Global International Education Program and Publication Service had filed a case on Monday against Thapa.— HNS

Man shoots at kin

SARLAHI: Shyam Raya was injured after his uncle, Sanjaya Yadav, shot at him on Wednesday night in Basantapur-8 in Sarlahi, the police said. The incident occurred after a debate ensued between the duo over the issue of irrigation. Raya was rushed to Kathmandu for treatment, Deputy Superintendent of Police Hanuman Shah of the Sarlahi district police office said. Police said search for Yadav and his father was underway. — HNS

Smugglers arrested

GAIGHAT: Forest patrol teams arrested 21 timber smugglers from different places of Udayapur district in the past week. They also seized some 400 logs, ranger Lomnath Timilsina said. Those arrested include Ram Bahadur Tamang, Shanta Bahadur Tamang, Shukara Tamang, Man Singh Tamang, Tek Hamal and Bikram, Timilsina said. They were involved in smuggling timber from Sugajor Community Forest and Sringar Community Forest in Katari and forests in Sindhuli. “Saws, axes and other tools used for cutting timber were also seized from them,” Timilsina added. — HNS

Cash looted

GAIGHAT: Two youths on Thursday looted Rs 60,000 from Mukhilal Prasad of Shiva Traders in Birgunj, police said. Two youths forced Prasad to a corner while he was trying to take a bus from the bus park at 5 am and looted the cash. Prasad was working for Shiva Kumar Goyal. — HNS

Load shedding

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Electricity Authority will increase the load shedding hours from Friday to balance the demand and supply of electricity. An NEA official said a new schedule would be finalised on Friday to be effective from the same day. — HNS

Flood-hit beaten up

RAJBIRAJ: Four flood victims were injured on Thursday when police charged batons on them in Rajbiraj. Januka Devi Mukhiya, Philidevi Mukhiya, Pawan Devi Mukhiya and Kabira Khatun of Lalpatti VDC were hurt during the police action while they were demanding relief. Police personnel said they thrashed the flood victims following the order of SP Chhabilal Joshi. However, Joshi denied issuing any such order. — HNS

Nepal Trust Bill tabled

KATHMANDU: The Parliamentary State Affairs Committee on Thursday tabled the Nepal Trust Bill-2007 in the Parliament and is likely to get it passed on Friday. Meanwhile, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula tabled the Bill on Amendment of Some Acts related to Election in the Parliament seeking its approval to send the Bill to the committee concerned for clause-wise discussion. MP Kumar Phudung and a member of the State Affairs Committee tabled the Arms and Ammunition Bill (2nd Amendment), 2007 .— HNS