ONCE-OVER

Metropolis possible’

Rupandehi: Minister for Local Development Rajendra Prasad Pandey on Tuesday said that a metropolis could be formed merging Butwal and Siddharthanagar municipalities. Inaugurating the fourth annual general meeting of the Butwal Hill Park Council, he urged the municipalities to construct same landfill site for both municipalities. “Plain land, resources of income, facility of highway and Lumbini International Airport are some of the infrastructure for merging the municipalities,” he said. The construction of infrastructure for the establishment of Lumbini International Airport is going on, Pandey said. The administrative division will be reviewed, he said, adding: “Preparation is on to reduce 75 districts into 40 and making 3900 VDCs and 58 municipalities.”— HNS

Property gutted

RAUTAHAT: Property worth of Rs 4 lakhs was gutted in fire that broke out in a shop at Bijaypur Bazaar of Laxminiya village development committee on Monday night. All goods in the shop of one Binod Shah were destroyed in the fire that broke out at around 9 pm, locals said. Nobody was in the shop at the time of incidence. Locals said the electric short circuit might have been the cause of fire. The fire was put out by the locals, a local Bashistha Yadav said. — HNS

One killed, 11 hurt

TANAHUN/ ITAHARI: One person was killed and nine others were injured when a tractor heading to Keshavtar from Damauli met with an accident at Kumleodar in the sector of Damauli- Keshavtar road on Monday night, said DPO (Tanahun). Police Inspector, Yogendra Khakda said, tractor driver, Govinda Baral was arrested and investigation has been going on. In an another accident in Sunsari, two motorcyclists were critically injured after they were hit by a tanker at Pachrukhi in Sunsari’s Itahari-5 on Tuesday afternoon. The motorcycle was hit by a tanker, said eastern regional traffic office Itahari. — HNS

Civilians threatened

Itahari: Locals took control of a youth from Khanar who threatened civilians as being a Maoist by producing a pistol last night. “Villagers took control over Sunil Shah of Khanar-4 along with a pistol and its bullet,” said , Bijaya Shah, adding Sunil had a dispute with Chandrashwor Sardar of Khanar- 5.When the dispute came to climax, Sunil, claiming himself as Maoist in charge , produced a pistol at the temple of Sardar, said Bijaya. Locals took control over Sunil and handed him to the Maoist. — HNS

Youth arrested

NAWALPARASI: Police nabbed on Tuesday a youth who has been terrorising in the guise of police in different parts of the district. Arjun BK, 16, of Shivamandir VDC 4 Riththepani was roaming around in the guise of assistant sub inspector in possession of weapon when he was arrested by the area police office Kawasoti at Gaindakot’s Ghumsi. Meanwhile, a group of 10-12 persons who claimed to belong to the PLA manhandled a youth of Pithauli VDC 8 Laugai, on Monday night. According to a local, Sharada Adhikari, the youth has been as identified as Rohit Mahato. — HNS

Death in Maoist camp

Phidim: A scuffle ensued between locals and the Maoists last night at Hewaghat of Phidim while last rites of a youth, who was killed in a Maoist sub-camp in Danabari of Ilam, were being performed. A 13-year-old boy, who was recruited in the Maoists’ People’s Liberation Army, accidentally fired a shot on Sunday, killing Ramesh Khanal, said a district member of the CPN (Maoist), Prakash. According to family members, the Maoists had abducted Ramesh from his residence on November 18 for recruitment in the PLA. However, the Maoists claim that Khanal joined the CPN (Maoist) two months ago. Family members retaliated after Prakash declared Ramesh the last martyr of the “people’s war”. Lok Nath Khanal accused the Maoists of bringing the body of his son Ramesh to Hewakhola at night for performing funeral rites without informing journalists. — HNS

S Korea hails accord

KATHMANDU: The Government of the Republic of Korea has welcomed the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Government of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on November 21. “Our government hopes that the conclusion of this peace agreement will provide the opportunity for Nepal to restore peace and stability,’’ the Embassy of the Republic of Korea said in a press statement. — RSS

Jail inmates shifted

KAPILVASTU: Altogether 17 prisoners and detainees serving terms in Kapilvastu prison were shifted to Palpa prison on Tuesday. Among those shifted in Palpa Prison, 13, including a woman, are serving terms in prison on charges of theft and robbery, three for murder and one woman for involvement in prostitution. — HNS

Meet on trafficking

BIRGUNJ: Representatives of NGOs in Nepal and India have pledged to control girl-trafficking. They were speaking at an interaction on “Inter-border network for the control of girl trafficking and HIV/AIDS” in Birgunj on Tuesday. — HNS