ONCE-OVER

Bombs found in Palpa

PALPA: Twelve socket bombs were found lying abandoned on Wednesday in a jungle area at Bhutuke of Gothadi VDC-3 in Palpa district. Palpa DSP Bhim Prasad Dhakal said a bomb disposal squad had been sent to the site. “Locals informed the police of the abandoned bombs. A team from the Matha area police office in Gothadi was sent to the spot. After investigation, we sent word to the Nepal Army’s Ranbam battalion in Palpa to help us defuse the bombs,” said DSP Dhakal. — HNS

9 JTMM ‘cadres’ held

Siraha: A team of Armed Police Force personnel from the base camp in Lahan arrested nine JTMM (Jwala Singh) “cadres” on Tuesday night. The arrested included 17-year-old Pawan Kumari Sadaya, sister of the morcha’s district in-charge Tufan Singh Bidrohi, and Area No 1 in-charge Prashanta. APF SP in Siraha, Harishchandra Adhikari, said the “cadres” were arrested with weapons at Bishnupur Katti-8. Bidrohi said the persons, including his sister, were arrested when they were going to his place to celebrate Rakshya Bandhan. — HNS

Blockade lifted

SANKHUWASABHA: A blockade imposed by the local government of China along the border in Kimathanka VDC of the eastern hilly district, Sankhuwasabha, was lifted on Tuesday. Sub-Inspector of Police Kumar Bhandari said an agreement was reached between the local administration of Nepal and the Dendang Administration of China to check smuggling through the border and to make passports compulsory while visiting China for more than one day. — RSS

2 missing after mishap

Dhading: Two persons went missing when a lorry plunged into the Trishuli river at Bandaremod in Dhading on Wednesday. According to the Benighat police post, the accident occurred when the truck, heading for Kathmandu from Parasi, and a passenger bus, heading for Bhadrapur from Kathmandu, collided on Prithvi Highway. Truck driver Sanu Shrestha of Thankot in Kathmandu and a passenger, Harihar Thapa, from the same place are missing. — HNS

NC poll manifesto

ITAHARI: The Nepali Congress will issue its election manifesto after a central committee meeting on Thursday, NC leader Sujata Koirala said on Wednesday. Inaugurating the fourth district convention of the Press Union-Sunsari, she urged journalists to use their pen for the institutional development of democracy. — HNS

Ex-NA member dead

KATHMANDU: Former member of the Central Working Committee of the Nepali Congress and Member of the National Assembly, Nilambar Panthi, passed away undergoing treatment at Norvic Hospital on Wednesday. Panthi’s body was later taken to the Pashupati Aryaghat where it was cremated. — RSS

Pilgrim dies

NUWAKOT: A pilgrim visiting Gosai-nkunda to take part in the Janai Purnima festivities died of altitude sickness on Wednesday. Sixty-year-old Radha Shrestha of Basundhara, Kathmandu, died at Chandanbari while on her way back after taking a dip in Gosainkunda, police said. According to the Rasuwa DPO, Radha fell unconscious after complaining of respiratory problems at Chandanbari — 4,700 metres above sea level. — HNS