Kids drown fishing

DIPAYAL: Two children drowned in Ranipokhari in Doti on Friday. The deceased were identified as seven-year-old Ashish Giri and six-year-old Abhas Malla of Doti’s Silgadhi Shai-leshwori tole. They drowned while trying to catch fish in the pond. Police said Malla died on way to hospital while Giri’s body was fished out from the pond. — HNS

Chakkajam staged

DAMAK: Twenty-three non-government organisations (NGO) and clubs in Damak organised an hour-long Chakkajam on Friday in protest against the arrest of human rights activist Bhesh Raj Pokharel by police. Pokharel is the field coordinator of the UPKA Nepal, a Inaruwa-based NGO. Representatives of the 23 NGOs and clubs blocked traffic on Mahendra Highway for an hour. They also submitted a memorandum to the local administration demanding Pokharel’s immediate release. — HNS

Teacher beaten up

KAVRE: Twenty-two schools remained closed on Friday in protest against the beating up of a teacher by two cadres of the Young Communist League (YCL). YCL cadres Ait Singh Tamang and Biduri Thakuri thrashed Prem Narayan Shah of the Dedhithumki lower secondary level school on Thursday. Schoolteacher Jhalak Poudel said the schools had decided to down shutters in protest against the assault on Shah. — HNS

Climber found dead

CHARIKOT: A 50-year-old mountaineer, Nganwang Jimma Sherpa, was found dead on the banks of the Teenchhange river on July 29, secretary of Gaurishankar VDC, Dil Bahadur Acharya, said on Friday. A native of Gaurishankar VDC-1, Dolakha, Sherpa was swept away by the river while he was heading home from Kathmandu on July 27. — HNS

Tusker terror

BARDIYA: Four families have been displaced after wild elephants that came from the Bariya National Park damaged houses in Dandagaun in Ward No 3 of Suryapatuwa VDC. The pachyderms have also destroyed foodstuff stored in the houses, said chairman of the Geruwa Community forest, Dhanamaya Bikka. However, no one was hurt in the incident. Already hit by floods, people in the area are frequently terrorised by the animals. As the Park has not paid attention to the people’s plight in the area, wild elephants have continued to wreak havoc. — RSS

Road still blocked

GULMI: The Riddi, Bami and Burtibang road sections that had been blocked by landslides two weeks ago are yet to reopen. Authorities have not shown concern in clearing the road. The road that used to remain busy earlier wears a deserted look. The road used to see movement of people from Gulmi, Syangjya, Bagling, Rukum and Rolpa. — RSS