Youth shot dead

SARLAHI: An unidentified group shot dead Dilim Rai, 23, of Godaita VDC-7, near the Malangawa-based Bansal Fuel Centre on Friday night, SP at the Sarlahi district police office (DPO) Ghananda Bhatta said. A dispute between rival gangs might have spurred the killing, he said. — HNS

Polls in Nov: Mahato

Bara: Minister for Industries, Commerce and Supplies Rajendra Mahato on Saturday said that CA polls will most probably be held in the third week of November. Addressing a programme organised by the Bara Chambers of Commerce and Industries in Kalaiya, Mahato said it will be a great misfortune for the country if the unity of the eight parties breaks up. Mahato added that his party — Nepal Sadbhavana Party-Anandidevi — favours a peaceful agitation instead of an armed rebellion. He said that the administration should take stern measures to control violence and criminal activities. Saying that the main objective of the eight parties was to hold the CA polls, Mahato stressed the need to create an environment conducive for the same.— HNS

Maoist vehicle seized

Dhangadhi: Police on Friday night seized a vehicle bearing a Maoist registration number plate (Seti-Mahakali Autonomous Republic 001). The vehicle had hit a person and injured him critically the same night, the Kailali district police office said. Shankar Bista was severaely injured when the vehicle hit him at Chatakpur of Dhangadhi. The vehicle was intercepted and seized at the Traffic Chowk. Police found out that the Maoists had seized the vehicle from the Dhangadhi office of the Nepal Telecom during the insurgency. The vehicle was being used by Maoist leader Lekhnath Bhatta. — HNS

Textbook shortage

Biratnagar: Students in government schools of Morang district are yet to buy textbooks though the new academic session began a month ago. There is a lack of textbooks published by the Janak Educational Material Centre and distributed by Sajha Publications in most of the classes in the government schools. No textbooks for grade VI and X and textbooks for grade IV-English is available in the markets, book entrepreneur Dolendra Siwakoti said. A large number of people from the rural areas of Sunsari come to ask for textbooks, said an owner of a bookstall, said. Textbooks will be made available in two weeks, said chief of the eastern regional office of Sajha Publications, Tanka Khatiwada. — HNS