'Over 1,000 died in post-ceasefire period'

Over 1,000 people, including the army, rebels and civilians, have died of the ongoing conflict in the post-ceasefire period, a report made public on Wednesday said.

The report, prepared by a human rights NGO, INSEC, said a total of 1,083 people lost their lives in the period. Of which, more than 750 people were killed by the government and the rest by the Maoists. nepalnews.com mr Oct 29

NHRC letter to Defence Ministry

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Wednesday forwarded a letter to the Ministry of Defence asking the latter to provide NHRC a report prepared by the government on the killing of four students in Doti recently, a statement said.

The students were killed in an Army-Maoist encounter that took place in a school at Mudbhara village. nepalnews.com mr Oct 29

Police post attacked in Dang 

Maoists have attacked the regional police office in Tulsipur of Dang district, security sources said. 

The gun battle started Wednesday evening when the Maoists attempted to overrun the police post. The policemen retaliated and gun battle started. 

Fighting between Maoist and security forces and the Maoists was continuing till Wednesday evening, a police source told Nepalnews over phone but would not give any more details. 

Likewise, the Royal Nepal Army foiled a Maoist attempt to blow up the telecommunications office of Dang district. Maoist rebels tried to bomb the telecommunications office at 6:10 PM, but the RNA held them off with gunfire, the source said. Reinforcements arrived at 6: 45 PM, the source added. 

The number of policemen in the post and the casualty figures was not immediately known. Telephone lines are disrupted in Dang. Residents of Tulsipur heard gunfire, a radio report said.

Some helicopter activity was heard over Kathmandu Valley early Wednesday evening. Dang is in Rapti zone. nepalnews.com rh/br Oct. 29 

Graft charge against ex-NOC chief

The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Wednesday filed a corruption case at the Special Court against Yubraj Sharma, a former director general of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), court officials said.

The CIAA, in the charge sheet, has alleged Sharma of accumulating properties valued over 10 million rupees through illegal channels and not disclosing the source of his properties.

"Of the total properties Sharma owned, sources of properties worth Rs.4 million was verified, but the rest was known," said the charge sheet.

A hearing to decide bail, ordinary date or custody for Sharma will begin on Thursday, according to the court sources. nepalnews.com mr Oct 29

Maoists loot bank in Butwal

A group of armed Maoists Wednesday looted over Rs.3 million from an outlet of Bank of Kathmandu in Butwal, radio reports said.

The Maoists first took the guards into control, and ordered the customers and bankers to sleep on the floor before looting the bank. The Maoists robbed Rs.2.5 million hard cash from the bank and Rs.500,000 from two customers, the reports said.

Security forces are now looking for those robbers, the reports said. nepalnews.com mr Oct 29

Polls impossible: Koirala

General elections cannot be held now, Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala said Wednesday. “But, if it is done, we will not boycott it, but use it as a tool to strengthen the five parties’ movement.” 

“The unilateral announcement of elections, if made, will be nothing more than a circus of Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa,” Koirala told media personnel in Biratnagar Wednesday. 

“We cannot imagine how elections can be held in this situation,” Koirala said. He further stressed the need to consolidate parties’ ongoing movement against “regression.” 

“Taking the movement forward is more important than calling the meeting of Mahasamiti members,” he said indicating towards the demands from his party men to convene the party’s general convention or Mahasamiti meeting. nepalnews.com mr Oct 29

Mobile import scam to be probed

A three-member committee headed by a senior official of the National Vigilance Committee  Mohan Bahadur Karki has been formed to investigate a recent scam in the illegal import of nearly 500 mobile sets without paying import duty, the Prime Minister's Office said Wednesday.

The other members of the committee include joint secretaries of the Ministry of Law and Parliamentary Affairs and the Attorney General's Office.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within seven days after starting work. Airport officials intercepted 500 mobile sets being imported without paying customs duty this month. nepalnews.com br Oct.29

Two security personnel injured

Two security personnel were injured in clashes with Maoists at Campus Road in Dhangadi overnight, a radio report said. 

Maoists also suffered casualties in a 30-minute shootout. The injured are undergoing treatment at a hospital in the town. The insurgents set off explosions in the town after the shoot-out. nepalnews.com br Oct.29

Ganesh Man Singh award

Two children in the capital received the Children of the Year 2060 Award carrying a purse of Rs.25,000 each. 

The Bir Ganesh Man Singh Child Talent Award Fund announced the awards Tuesday. Shleshma Chhetry of Budhanilkantha Secondary School was selected for creative talent while Manisha Ranabhatt of Mahendra Secondary School was selected for her performance in sports. 

The award was instituted five years ago. nepalnews.com br Oct.29

Leftist leader arrested

Police Monday arrested leftist student leader Mrs. Sarita Sharma from her rented room in the capital, Akhil said in a statement. 

Mrs. Sharma was taken to an undisclosed destination, the statement said. She was head of a women's cell of the student union at Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus. nepalnews.com br Oct.29

Three decapitated bodies found

An unidentified group, probably a splinter Maoist organization, abducted and murdered rebel commander Janak Rai alias Feroj and two others by slitting their throats, a published report said Wednesday.

Security sources said they were abducted Sunday from the northern part of the district. Their decapitated bodies were found Monday. nepalnews.com br Oct.29

Malaysian embassy by Nov.30

Malaysia will open an embassy at charge d'affaires level in Kathmandu by November 30 this year, RSS said. 

A formal proposal to this end has been received from the Malaysian government and the task of giving it a final shape has reached the last stages, a high-level official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told RSS.

Nepali officials hoped the opening will help Nepali labourers seeking employment opportunities in Malaysia. nepalnews.com br Oct.29

Donor express concern

Eight donors Tuesday expressed their deep concern at increasing use of schools for political activities, harassment and killing teachers and students and disruption of normal school activities, a published report said.

" We deplore the news about the violent incident at the Sharada Higher Secondary School in Doti district on 13 October, which killed four students and wounded many, reads a press statement issued here 
Tuesday by the Royal Danish Embassy. The statement said that there is no justification for the warring parties to bring their conflict inside school grounds. 

The Rising Nepal said the eight parties urged both sides to take possible measures to avoid civilian casualties, particularly children, and to let schools remain safe places to learn, grow and play. 

The Danish, Finnish and Norwegian embassies, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNICEF, EU and Japan International Cooperation Agency issued the strong statement that criticized the government and
Maoists. nepalnews.com br Oct.29

Blind anchor

A blind person for the first time anchored the weather news on Nepal 1 News Tuesday. 

Om Prakash Banjade, who turned blind at 11, will be anchoring the weather news every day on the news channel, it was announced. He will anchor the weather news every day at seven in the morning and
seven in the evening. nepalnews.com br Oct.29

US couple honoured

A US couple who helped install more than 24 bridge systems in Nepal won a $50,000 award for their efforts. David and Haydi Sowerwine of California received the award in California this week, a published report said. nepalnews.com br Oct.29