Abductees freed

Kathmandu: The Maoists on Monday released all members of a family they had kidnapped on Sunday from their house at Jorpati, police said. According to the police, the Maoists released Nanibabu Karki, his wife, and their children Ranju and Bimal from the house of local Maoist leader Karan. Earlier, the local Maoists had come to the Metropolitan Police Circle in Bouddha, claiming responsibility for the abduction. “However, they denied their hand in the torching of the house,” a police official said. — HNS

Fuel supply resumes

BIRATNAGAR: Supply of petroleum products, which had been disrupted since Friday, resumed on Monday evening. Suppliers of petroleum products in the eastern region had stopped supplying petroleum products to protest a “flawed probe” into an incident. Police had held Chandra Chaudhari, the driver of a tanker, on the charge of killing a man at Inaruwa on January 25. “An agreement on the issue was reached at a meeting held at the Saptari DPO on Sunday,” the Eastern Region Petrol Suppliers’ Association said. — HNS

Snow removed

HETAUDA: Traffic resumed on Monday morning after the removal of snow in Daman, Palung, and Sim Bhanjyang along the Tribhuvan Highway. According to the Palung Area Police Office, a dozer of the Regional Division Road Office with technicians removed the snow in 30 km portion from Bhirghadi to Aghor, Sim Bhanjyang and Palung. Army men of the Chanman Barracks, policemen, civil society members and locals also lent help, said the office. — RSS

NELTA panel

KATHMANDU: The annual international conference of the Nepal English Language Teachers’ Association (NELTA) has elected a 17-member central committee executive board. Prof Dr Govinda Raj Bhattarai is president, Ganga Ram Gautam senior vice president, Laxman Gnawali vice president and Hemanta Raj Dahal is general secretary of the committee, a release issued on Monday said. — HNS

School block opened

LALITPUR: A new block of the Sri Chandee Vidyasharam High School was inaugurated at a function here on Monday. The building was constructed by the Rotary Club Yala, Nepal and Rotary Club of Fukuoka (RI District 2700), Japan. The Rotary Club of Fukuoka had provided Rs 1.5 million to build the block, which has five classrooms. CDO of Lalitpur, Ananda Raj Pokhrel, representatives of the Rotary Clubs of Nepal and Japan, local political leaders attended the programme. — HNS

Traffic disrupted

SIRAHA: Activists of the MJF disrupted traffic at different places on the Mahendra highway in Lahan for three hours from 7 am on Monday. The MJF activists burnt tyres on the road, demanding the resignation of Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula. The number of long distance vehicles plying on the highway was very scant due to obstructions. — HNS

JTMM men grab land

BARA: Activists of the Jaykrishna Goit-led Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) in Bara captured 13 bighas of land belonging to one Surendra Bikram Rana at Madilwa Tole of Bhodaha VDC on Sunday. JTMM activists, led by JTMM Bara district chairman Birat, captured Rana’s land. Rana is generally stationed in Kathmandu. — HNS

Houses looted

SARLAHI: A gang of armed dacoits looted cash and valuables from nine houses in two VDCs of Sarlahi district on Sunday night. The robbers made off with cash and goods worth Rs 5 lakh from the houses in Raajghat and Hajariya VDCs, SP Ghanananda Bhatta, said. — HNS