KHOTANG: Durga Raj of Dubekol VDC finally got his surname after 17 years. Born to Bidhyapati Bhattarai and Fulmaya Nepali after their inter-caste marriage, Durga Raj’s last name has been confirmed as Bhattarai by descent. Khotang CDO Govind Sapkota on Sunday issued citizenship to Durga Raj in the name of Durga Raj Bhattarai. Signatures by Women Development Inspector Bhuwan Rai and Child Right Officer Rabin Rai for the document had secured him the citizenship certificate. Bidhyapati and Fulmaya had eloped some eighteen years ago. Following Bidhyapati’s death, Durga Raj’s last name had stoked controversy and dispute since his parents did not possess marriage certificate. Durga Raj is an eighth grader at Kalika Lower Secondary School in Dubekot. He had no last name to register in the school until Sunday’s decision. The debate on whether or not Bidhyapati was Durga Raj’s father had divided society.

Caught with bribe

NAWALPARASI: A team from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority arrested two engineers of Western Irrigation Development Division Office red-handed with bribe money from the office at Semari in Nawalparasi on Sunday. Ishwori Prasad Dhakal of Borlang VDC, Gorkha and Yogendra Mishra of Mayanakadari VDC, Saptari were arrested with Rs 56,000 cash while taking bribe. The duo has been taken to Butwal-based CIAA contact office for investigation. Sources said Dhakal and Mishra were taking bribe from chairman of Semerhawa Tilakpur Irrigation Consumer Committee at Tilakpur VDC. The duo had demanded kickback for approval of the irrigation project in Tilakpur VDC.