Refugee verification

Damak: The UN High Commission for Refugees has begun the work for verification of Bhutanese refugees living in camps here from the past 17 years. The work of verification and interview with the refugees stareted a few days ago. The UNHCR has started interviewing refugees living in the seven camps in Jhapa and Morang districts but has not yet disclosed the details of the work it is conducting. Refugees in several camps said the verification and interviews began suddenly without consultation with the refugees’ organisations. Staff at the commission’s office here carried out the interviews even during their day off. The refugees also declined to say why they were called or what sort of interviews were being taken. The commission is sponsoring the travel and food expenses to refugees coming to the commission office. — HNS

100 houses inundated

SARLAHI: Incessant rains for the past three days in Sarlahi district have eroded some ten bighas of land and inundated 100 houses. According to the District Police Office Sarlahi, the whole village is waterlogged after the dam in Fulparasi was collapsed from the flood in Lakhandehi River. Banke, Fuljor and Bagmati Rivers have destroyed paddy, and sugarcane crops by eroding land. Sixty houses were inundated in Gairitol of Sasapur -1 and one dozen have been collapsed, where as in Haripur, 19 houses and one dozen VDCs including Fulparasi and Bhasar have been inundated. There is difficulty in rescuing the victims, said Police Inspector of the District Police Office, Krishna Prasad Sharma. — RSS

1 killed in mishap

GAUR: A woman from Sakhuwa Ghamaura VDC, Ward No 4 of Rautahat district, died and another got serious injury after their house was collapsed. Sita Devi Pande, wife of Binod Pande, from Harsaha Tole of the VDC died on the way to Narayani Sub-Regional Hospital at Birgunj as she was crushed in the house after the roof collapsed owing to the torrential rainfall for the past few days. However, Binod Pade who was injured in the incident has been undergoing treatment at the Hospital, it is learnt. They were rescued by the neighbours. — RSS

18 Tibetans arrested

GORKHA: Eighteen Tibetan citizens have been arrested while entering India via Nepal. The ‘middle agent’ had left them in Chhamti to take them to India from Nepal. They were arrested at the Machhikhola police post in Kerauja VDC of Gurkha district, according to district police office, Gurkha. — RSS

One hurt in attack

RASUWA: A non-commissioned army officer, who was injured seriously in an attack on him by wildlife smugglers in the Langtang National Park on Sunday, has been sent to Kathmandu for treatment. Nawaraj Shakya belonging to Durga Box Battalion based in Rasuwa was attacked with sharp weapons and pushed down the cliff by the smugglers at Rasuwa Marga of Lingling region of Briddim VDC while he was coming to Syafrubeshi from Timure on Sunday evening, the army source said. — RSS

Minister’s stand

LEKHNATH: Minister for Health, Giriraj Mani Pokhrel has said that the 22-point charter of demands put forth by the Maoists are just. Addressing a press meet organised by the Mechi-Mahakali Media Society Kaski, he said although the Maoist demands are just, they should not be put forth on the threshold of the CA elections. Minister Pokhrel said there is no alternative to CA election, and urged the Maoists to move ahead on the path of election. — RSS

Office vandalised

SINDHUPALCHOWK: Maoist cadres vandalised Chautara-based district office of Muskan Sena Nepal Party on Monday. Maoist cadres led by Area No 2 in-charge Subodh torched the signboard of the office and attempted to set ablaze furniture in the office, the Sindhupalchowk district police office said. Nine Maoist cadres had been taken under control over the incident but were later freed, DSP Sahakul Bahadur Thapa said. “We vandalised the office because they are royalists and were trying to be active in the area,” Subodh said. — HNS

15 hurt in mishap

NAWALPARASI: Fifteen persons were hurt when three vehicles collided at Madyabindu of Nawalparasi on Mahendra Highway on Monday. Among the injured, two passengers - Kamala Pathak of Tamsariya-7 and Krishna Pariyar of Razhar-7 who have been critical injured and have been taken to Bharatpur for treatment while others are being treatment in Kawasoti-based Kali Gandaki Hospital. — HNS

Man electrocuted

BIRGUNJ: A worker of the Jyoti Bus Garage was electrocuted on Monday. Naresh Patel, 25 a resident of Balirampur-1 of Bara who was injured after getting electric shock in the garage died while he was undergoing treatment in Siwa Hospital. — HNS