Locals block highway

HETAUDA: The locals of Sunachuri obstructed the Hetauda-Lothar road section of the Mahendra Highway for three hours on Saturday. Alleging that a soldier from the Nepal Army’s Sunachari barrack misbehaved with a girl on Friday evening, locals obstructed the road section from 10 am to 1 pm. Traffic resumed when the soldier apologised in front of the girl’s family, locals said. — HNS

Exams postponed

DHANKUTA: The SLC sent-up examinations in community schools of the district, that were scheduled to begin from Sunday, have been postponed for four days due to the continuous bandhs and strikes. Secretary of the District Sent-up Examination Committee, Ishwori Prasad Adhikari, said the examinations would begin on Thursday if situation normalises by then. Over 2,500 students of 45 community secondary schools of Dhankuta will be appearing in the exams. Private schools of the district, however, have been conducting the sent-up examinations since Thursday. — HNS

Team in Rautahat

RAUTAHAT: A joint team of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the OHCHR arrived here on Saturday for site visits. The team is here to investigate into the incidents of human rights violations that reportedly occurred in course of the ongoing Madhesi movement in the district. The team is scheduled to visit sites that were set ablaze during the ongoing movement and meet those who were beaten up by the Maoists. The team will also visit Garuda, Santapur and Chandranigahapur. After site visits to Bara and Parsa the team reached here, said NHRC officer Basudev Bajgai. — HNS

Two awarded

BAGLUNG: The Ratna Shrestha Prize Trust has honoured Dr Harsha Bahadur Budhamagar, 80, researcher of Galkot, Baglung with the Ratna Shrestha National Honour- 2063 BS. Ratna Shrestha Western Regional Prize has been given to a poet from Pokhara, Madhav Biyogi. The Prize Trust meeting chaired by founder Patron Prem Chhota took the decision award the two personalities. — RSS

Petroleum shortage

ILAM: Terai bandh has led to shortage of petroleum products in Ilam district. This in turn has hit ambulance service. Three ambulances of Dr Megh Bahadur Clinic, Ilam District Hospital and Nepal Red Cross Society Ilam branch have come to a halt due to lack of petrol. Few vehicles plied in the district on Saturday. “We have been compelled to close petrol pump due to lack of supply of petroleum products for the past one week,” said Pralhad Chaudhari, proprietor of district headquarters-based petrol pump, Pathivara Enterprises. — HNS

One killed in mishap

KAPILVASTU: Pramila Yadav alias Phula of Harnampur VDC in Kapilvastu district was killed on the spot when a tractor ran over her at Dohani VDC on Saturday. After the fatal mishap, locals obstructed traffic on the Taulihawa-Lumbini road section from 1 pm. Demanding compensation for the victim’s family and punishment to the driver, they also barred the police from removing her body from the spot. Talks to let traffic resume were underway, police stated. “The tractor belonging to a Maoist cadre ran over her and the administration is trying to save the guilty driver,” said Pramila’s maternal uncle Jhagru Yadav. — HNS

Maoists seize office

Rautahat: Activists of the Maoist-affiliated Madhesi National Mukti Morcha captured the Gaur municipality office two days ago. According to sources, the Morcha’s activists also removed a flag of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum from the office. Morcha cadres broke the locks of five rooms and are staying there, eyewitnesses said. Gaur municipality Maoist secretary Amar Shah said, “The office will remain in our control until the establishment of a federal democratic republic and setting up of constituencies according to population break-up.” — HNS