Factory locked

GAIGHAT: Demanding promotion and perks, staffers of the Udaypur Cement Factory (UCF) padlocked the main gate of the factory on Thursday. The staffers have been demanding that the management promote those workers who have worked for 10 years. “The Nepal Factory Workers’ Union, Nepal Independent Chemical Workers’ Union and the National Democratic Workers’ Union had given a month to the management to meet their demands. The factory was padlocked because our demands were not met,” a member of the workers’ union, Krishna Kunwar, said. Meanwhile, the factory board held a meeting in Kathmandu on Thursday regarding the demands of the staffers, a factory source said. — HNS

NHRC’s concern

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Biratnagar office in a press statement on Thursday appealed to all parties involved in the Terai movement to ensure free movement of ambulances, Press, marriage processions and other vehicles on emergency duties. — HNS

NC-D leader quits

SIRAHA: Nepali Congress-Democratic mahasamiti member, Manoranjan Goit, has resigned from his post expressing solidarity with the ongoing agitation of the Madheshi Janaadhikar Forum. Goit who submitted his resignation on Wednesday, also issued a press statement alleging that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s address to the nation did not address the Madhesi’s concerns. Meanwhile, the network of professionals (PAPAD) expressing solidarity with the Madhesi cause, staged a rally in Siraha. — HNS

VDC secy beaten up

Kapilvastu: Secretary of Singhkhor village development committee (VDC) Keshavraj Adhikari was beaten up by two persons on Thursday in the course of distribution of citizenship certificates. The duo attacked Adhikari after a dispute cropped up over the issue of recommendations for citizenship certificate to a local Sodhar Dhuniya Musalman, the Kapilvastu district administration office (DAO) said. The citizenship certificate distribution team stopped work after the incident at around noon. — HNS

Passengers looted

BARDIYA: A group of unidentified persons looted cash and goods worth lakhs of rupees from passengers of a microbus headed for Kathmandu from Surkhet at Deurali Danda of Bardiya on Thursday. Up to 10 masked men, brandishing khukuris and guns, looted the passengers, including some foreigners in the microbus at around 7 am on Thursday, SP of District Police Office Bardiya Shyam Bahadur Khadka said. The robbers looted $ 20,000 from the foreigners and Rs 545,500 in cash, gold jewellery, three mobile phone sets and a camera from others. — HNS