Factory reopens

POKHARA: The Pokhara Noodles Pvt Ltd, which was shut for the last 11 days after a dispute between the factory management committee and the workers, resumed functioning on Friday. The factory was closed since December 11 after the Maoist-affiliated workers’ union padlocked the factory when the management dismissed 82 temporary workers. According to the agreement, the factory will reinstate 55 workers and the rest will be given compensation, said Kaski coordinator of Federation of the All Nepal Trade Union Kaghendra Kafle. — HNS

Citizenship teams

SIRAHA: The distribution of citizenship certificates in the villages in Siraha district will start from January 15, the District Administration Office (DAO) said. Twelve DAO teams will distribute citizenship certificates to some 50,000 people of two municipalities and 106 VDCs, assistant CDO Chiranjivi Adhikari said. Each team will have seven members, Adhikari said. The teams will have to finish their jobs by March 18. — HNS

Pilots’ body formed

KATHMANDU: Nepal Pilots Association (NPA) was formed with Capt Shree Ballav of Buddha Air as president, Capt Prabhakar Ghimire as vice president, Ang Gelu Sherpa of Buddha Air as the general secretary and Rabindra Dangol of Sita Air as the treasurer, said NPA in a statement. The NPA’s first general assembly was held on Thursday. — HNS

Maoist gunned down

Mahottari: An unidentified group on Friday night shot dead Krishna Giri, an active Maoist cadre, outside his house at Sitapur Bhangaha in Mahottari. Claiming to be Maoists, the group took Giri out of his house and shot him twice, said Giri’s family. The group members were masked and managed to flee after killing Giri. Meanwhile, Maoist central member Matrika Yadav reached the hospital, met Giri’s relatives and assured of bringing the culprits to book. Giri’s body was draped with the Maoist party flag. Giri is survived by his wife and three sons. — HNS

UML cadre abducted

SIRAHA: An unidentified group on Saturday morning abducted former chairman of Phulbariya VDC in Siraha district and a CPN-UML activist Ram Kumar Yadav, 60. Four persons on two motorbikes abducted Yadav from Ghurmikhola while he was heading towards Choharwa, said his wife Karidevi. Yadav’s whereabouts are still unknown. Issuing separate statements, district-based different rights organisations called for Yadav’s immediate release. — HNS

Body found

SIRAHA: One Ram Singh Danuwar, 30, of Chandraodaya VDC- 7, was recovered from Bansghari at Raghunathpur Tole of Lahan municipality-4 on Saturday, Area Police Office Lahan said. Danuwar was a driver, police added. The body had bruises and wounds in the neck and back and investigation is on, police said. — HNS

Priest murdered

PALPA: Ram Chandra Tiwari, 24, on Saturday killed Bhupal Adhikari, 77, a priest at SiddhababaTemple of Darlamdanda VDC in Palpa by bashing his head with a log, said the Palpa district police office. Tiwari has been arrested and investigation into the incident is on, police said. — HNS

One abducted

GAIGHAT: Activists of the Kirat Workers’ Party on Saturday abducted a school supervisor Bindra Bahadur Rai from the Udaypur district education office. A group of around six armed activists abducted Rai from Babala VDC, said Rai’s family. Four months ago, the party’s activists had kidnapped and also freed Rai’s wife. Udaypur DSP Mohan Raj Khadka said police have received information about Rai’s abduction but details are awaited. — HNS