Five-year-old drowns

RAJBIRAJ: A child drowned in a pond in Saptari’s Bamangama Katti on Friday. Sita Ram Mandal’s five-year-old son Niraj Kumar Mandal of Mallekpur VDC died after he drowned in a pond at Bamangama Katti-5, police said, adding Mandal was visiting his maternal uncle’s house. — HNS

Bomb found

BARA: A disposal team of the Nepal Army disposed of a socket bomb planted in a clock tower in Bara district headquarters Kalaiya-6 on Friday. Police said it was not clear who placed the bomb there. There was also the sound of a big blast on Thursday night, police said. — HNS

New Swiss pointman

KATHMANDU: Markus Henniger is stepping in as the new Special Adviser for Peace Building for the Swiss government to Nepal. He will replace Gunther Baechler. Speaking to mediapersons in Kathmandu on Friday, Baechler said that the Swiss government wants to ‘stay engaged’ in the peace building process in Nepal and that there will be “no change in his government’s policy” towards Nepal. Henniger said that the Swiss government wants to stay engaged here as it has contributed in the development efforts in Nepal for 50 years. — HNS

VDC secy kidnapped

SIRAHA: A gang on Friday abducted VDC secretary Jivan Dhital, 49, from Laxmi Brick Kiln Industry at Asanpur VDC in Siraha. “The gang abducted my husband from the industry at 1:00 pm, which is owned by us,” said Dhital’s wife Laxmi Adhikari. She said the abductors came on three motorbikes and, brandishing arms, abducted her husband. Meanwhile, rights activists have appealed to the concerned to release Dhital at the earliest. Nobody has owned up the abduction. — HNS

Abductee rescued

RAJBIRAJ: With the help of locals, a team of the Indian police rescued abducted Krishna Kumar Bhagat, 7, from an Indian village. Two persons had abducted Bhagat from Rajbiraj municipality two days ago. Indian police rescued the child from Laukaha village, India, and handed him over to the Nepal Police. Indian police also held a cadre of the JTMM-G, Bechan Yadav, for the abduction. — RSS

Child rapist caught

LAMJUNG: Villagers caught 20-year-old Dil Bahadur Gurung, of Lamjung district’s Banjhakhet Village Development Committee (VDC)-6, on Friday and handed him over to the police. Gurung had raped a 12-year-old Gurung girl of Banjhakhet VDC-6 20 on October 6. The police have taken Dil Bahadur into custody. — HNS

Woman arrested

BIRGUNJ: Police arrested an Indian woman in possession of six kg of charas at Birgunj’s Inaruwa check point on Friday morning. Sarita Kurmi, 32, of Motihari, Bihar, was arrested while she was carrying the drug to Raxaul, said inspector Pashupati Dotel. — HNS

65-year-old crushed

MYAGDI: A 65-year-old woman Dhan Devi Tulachan of Darbang-3 Ratodhunga in the western part of Myagdi district died after being crushed by a boulder. Her body was found near her house in Myagdi river on Friday, police said. Tulachan had gone to collect firewood on Thursday. — RSS

Barahi Mela observed

Pokhara: The Barahi Mela organised in honour of Tal Barahi Devi attended by thousands of devotees concluded on Friday on the last day of Dashain. Devotees offerred tika and took prasad. The goddess’ temple stands near Tal Barahi. — HNS

PLA verification

Tulsipur: The verification of PLA personnel resumed at Dahawan of Rolpa on Friday. Verification of the PLA personnel under the Mangalsen Brigade in the Dahaban began on Friday, said commander of the brigade, Mahan. Meanwhile, a team of the UNMIN reached Rolpa district to take stock of the political and security situation. — RSS