Demand for Press cell

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) MP Sujata Koirala on Sunday demanded a Press and Public Relations cell in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Speaking in the NC Parliamentary Party meeting, she said a media cell could go a long way in ensuring steady flow of information to and from the PMO. — HNS

Property looted

MAHOTTARI: A gang of armed dacoits looted property worth Rs 400,000 from seven houses at Bairahiyalaxminiya-1 on Saturday night. Locals Jawarul Shekh, Rabul Khatun, Shewarak Ansari, Aphar Ansari and Kamari Nadaf were injured while fighting the dacoits, police said. The dacoits looted property from houses and denoted four bombs and fired in the air while looting, police said. — HNS

Refugee headcount

JHAPA: A joint team of the government and the UN High Commission for Refugees started counting the Bhutanese refugees who had missed registration carried out a month ago. The earlier head count had put the number of refugees at 107,678. On Friday, some 100 refugees got their names registered in the camp, secretary at the camp at Khudunabari (Jhapa), Manoj Rai, said, adding that some 600 refugees are staying outside the camp. Recounting will also be done in camps in Timai, Beldangi and Sanischare, Rai added. Joint secretary at the home ministry, Surya Narayan Shrestha, and a UNHCR representative are involved in the counting. — HNS

Man escapes captivity

RAJBIRAJ: Nepal Army amaldar Som Bahadur Thapa Magar, who was abducted by activists of the Madhesi Tigers (MT) on Friday, managed to flee from captivity on Saturday night. MT activists had abducted him while he was on his way to his in-laws’ house at Bhaganimaleth in Saptari. MT central spokes-person Pratap had demanded the release of the MT’s Saptari in-charge Arjun and an activist Sangram for Magar’s release. — HNS

Security camps set up

TANAHUN: The Manakamana battalion of the Armed Police Force of the district has established election security base camps in five districts till Sunday. “The election security base camps were set up to enable the holding of free and fair election to the constituent assembly. Camps have been set up in Tanahun, Gorkha, Lamjung, Manang and Nawalparasi,” said battalion chief Chiranjibi Kunwar. A security base camp in the district headquarters has 50 men headed by a DSP and other posts have 35 men led by Inspectors. — HNS

JTMM men grab land

RAUTAHAT: Activists of the Jwala Singh-led Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) on Sunday captured 10 bighas of land at Santapur Dostiya VDC in Rautahat district. The land belongs to a former sub-inspector of police, Madan Adhikari. — HNS