Maoist 'minister' and wife killed in security operation

Raj Bikram Bhurtel, a 'minister' of the "Tamuwan Autonomous People's Government" and his wife Sita Bhurtel, were killed in a security operation in Kaski on Friday.

A statement issued by the army's regional headquarters in Pokhara said Bhurtel was the minister of the Department of Transportation and Physical Infrastructure inthe Tamuwan government declared by the Maoists. 

The Bhurtel couple was arrested during a search operation in the Kaskikot and Bhadaure Tamagi areas and the security forces shot them while bringing them to Pokhara, according to Nepal Samacharpatra.

Sharmila Pariyar, alias Chindal, who was arrested with the Bhurtel couple is in the custody of the security forces, the report added. 

The Maoists have not confirmed nor denied the report. nepalnews.com mr May 15 04

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21 officials of Lalitpur quit posts

Twenty-one officials of Lalitpur sub-metropolitan city, who were appointed by the Surya Bahadur Thapa government, quit their posts on Friday.

During a board meeting, they announced their collective resignation saying they could not stay at their posts at a time of political uncertainty.

"We could not concentrate on our work due to the threats and terror, so we decided to resign," said mayor Buddhi Raj Bajracharya, according to Nepal Samacharpatra. 

The report added that on Friday, the Maoists also warned all officials of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Kirtipur Municipality, Bhakatapur Municipality and Madhaypur Thimi Municipality to resign within 48 hours or face consequences. nepalnews.com mr May 15 04

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Deuba supports KP Bhattarai as next PM

President of Nepali Congress (Democratic) Sher Bahadur Deuba said Friday his support will be with Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, if the latter becomes the next Prime Minister.

"My party will fully assist and support Bhattarai, if he holds the supreme post of PM at this time," Deuba told a press meet held in Pokhara.

Deuba claimed that even Nepali Congress led by Girija Prasad Koirala will have no objection if Bhattarai becomes the next PM. "Why should not they (NC) support Bhattarai?" Deuba queried. Bhattarai is one of the founder leaders of NC.

Admitting that it was his fault to recommend the King to defer the parliamentary polls by one year, Deuba further claimed that he will resolve the Maoist problem if he is chosen to lead the to-be-formed government.

Deuba reiterated that the King should either reinstate his elected government dismissed in October 2002 or make Madhav Kumar Nepal -- the then opposition leader of the Parliament -- the next Premier. nepalnews.com mr May 14 04

King grants audience to four royalists

King Gyanendra continued political consultations on Friday granting separate audiences to three former and one incumbent chairmen of Raj Parishad, the advisory council to the King.

According to Nepal Television, the King gave audiences to Raj Parishad chairman Parsu Narayan Chaudhary, and ex-chairmen of the Parishad - Bhadrakali Misra, Dhanendra Bahadur Singh and Keshar Jung Rayamajhi.

Talking to NTV after the audience, Chaudhary said the King is concerned about the political situation of the country. 

Asked what he suggested to the King, Chaudhary said it cannot be disclosed publicly. "His Majesty received suggestions from all with enthusiasm," he said. 

The King granted audience to various leaders. The five agitating parties, however, turned down the King's proposal for separate audiences. They say reconciliation with the King is possible only when the latter grants a collective audience to them.

The five parties have been protesting the royal move of October 2002, when the King dismissed the elected government replacing it with a royal-nominee Cabinet. nepalnews.com mr May 14 04

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Jet Airways starts flying to Nepal

India's Jet Airways touched down at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport on May 14 becoming the first private airline of India 
to commence operations to the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal. 

The Nepalese capital, Kathmandu is the second international destination on Jet Airways' route network. Today's maiden flight took off at 1135 hrs from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport and landed in Kathmandu at 1315 hrs. 

Passengers were welcomed by Joint Secretary of Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Mr. Medini Prasad Sharma, Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Mr. Nagendra Prasad Ghimire, CEO of Nepal Tourism Board Mr. Tek Bahadur Dangi and other officials of Nepal Tourism Board and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.

Jet Airways flies daily between Kathmandu and Delhi. nepalnews.com dr May 14 04

Parties declare fresh protests

The five parliamentary parties on Friday continued anti-'regression' protests for the straight 44th day announcing fresh protests until Thursday next week.

A Task Force meeting of the five parties declared the protest programs, according to which the parties will stage sit-in protests for two days from Saturday.

On Monday, there will be lockouts in government offices and colleges while on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, peaceful sit-in protests and rallies will be organised nationwide.

The parties will make public yet more "special programs" on Monday, it is learnt.

On Friday, the parties held sit-in protests at Ratnapark area and took out rallies all over the Valley. Various corner meetings were also held. Leaders such as Dr. Ram Sharan Mahan and Siddhi Lal Singh addressed the corner meetings.

Students also continued their protests at different college areas in Kathmandu. Outside Kathmandu, the protests were held in Pokhara, Nepalgunj, Chitwan, Dang as well as other places.

In Biratnagar, the five party activists organised motorcycle rallies. The rally began from Birendra Sabha Griha and ferried major thoroughfares of the city before it converged into a corner meeting at Mahendra Chowk.

Nepali Congress (Democratic) also continued protesting the royal move of October 2002 organising rallies. nepalnews.com mr May 14 04

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One policeman, two civilians killed

The Maoists shot dead a policeman in Dang on Friday. Two civilians were also killed in Dailekh by a bomb left by the Maoists, reports said.
According to reports, the two killed in the bomb explosion were the residents of Danda Parajul VDC. One has been identified as Tej Bahadur Gadar of the same VDC. 

The policeman shot dead in Dang was constable Ganesh Chaudhary. He was a staff of the District Police Office. On Thursday night, the Maoists had damaged the Area Police Station in Gharahi, Dang. nepalnews.com mr May 14 04

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Human skull smugglers arrested

The Birgunj customs office on Friday arrested two Nepalis attempting to smuggle 250 human skulls into Nepal via Bihar, India.

The two were identified as Gopal Sunar and Shambhu Sunar. They told police that the skulls were from Bihar and they had plans to sell the skulls at 300 rupees each at Baudha, Kathmandu. Sunar duos are now in police custody, according to reports. nepalnews.com mr May 14 04

Prisoners escape jail in Sankhuasabha

Seven prisoners on Thursday escaped a jail in the eastern hilly district of Sankhuasabha, according to reports on Friday.

They escaped after breaking a window in the night, the reports added. The authorities have begun a manhunt, but the seven were still at large until Friday afternoon. nepalnews.com mr May 14 04

Eastern region buses suspend services in highways

Four bus companies of eastern Nepal said on Friday they will not operate in the national highways, including the Kathmandu route, due to the growing insecurity and huge losses incurred by them.

According to reports, the four companies to withdraw services are Koshi, Samyukta, Purbanchal and Sapta Koshi bus entrepreneurs' associations. The companies said their decision will be effective from Friday for an indefinite period.

Reports from Dharan said none of the buses left for Kathmandu or other places in the west on Friday due to the announcement that has affected thousands of people in the region.

The entrepreneurs have said they will resume services only when favourable conditions return. The government has been, by and large, indifferent to the problem of security on the highways being repeatedly raised by the entrepreneurs. nepalnews.com mr May 14 04