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Police have arrested the supporters of controversial businessman Durga Prasain who came to attend a pre-scheduled program at Tinkune under the “Rastra, Rastriyata, Dharma-Sanskriti and Nagarik Bachau Andolan.”

According to eyewitnesses, police have rounded up eight-nine supporters of Prasain who came to attend the program.

Police have also launched a search operation in the Tinkune area.

Earlier on Thursday, Prasain had announced that they would hold programs at Tinkune from today by organizing a press conference.

Meanwhile, issuing a statement on Friday, the District Administration Office, Kathmandu said that stringent action will be taken in accordance with the law against those found indulged in disturbing peace in the society.

The administration also said that it has not granted a permission to Prasain to hold programs in Tinkune.

Security forces have put Durga Prasain, a medical entrepreneur turned monarchist, under house arrest to prevent him from leading the protests.

In a show of strength, Prasain on Thursday organized a mass meeting in Balkhu.

In the meantime, supporters of Prasain clashed with security personnel while they were attempting to march toward Singhadurbar to press for the restoration of monarchy and Nepal as a Hindu state. 

This came after clashes between the supporters of Yuwa Sangh, the youth wing of the CPN-UML, and Prasain’s supporters.

Immediately after Prasain’s address in Balkhu where he told supporters to picket Singhadurbar and thrash leaders of major political leaders, police fired teargas canisters and water cannons at the supporters marching toward Singhadurbar, resulting in minor injuries on both sides.

Prasain has been courting controversy for making objectionable comments in violation of the law of the land.

Recently, he organized a program by playing Nepal’s monarchy-era national anthem and undermining the republican anthem, apparently in violation of the Constitution of Nepal 2015.

Section 15 of the Procedure for Use of the National Flag and National Anthem (First Amendment), 2076 has prohibited the use of the national anthem in an insulting and inappropriate manner, whereas Section 17 of the procedure has assigned the responsibility of monitoring and regulating it to the Chief District Officer.

Also, Prasain has made remarks targeting a specific community. In many interviews, he has urged people to join his campaign, promising that individual bank loans up to Rs 2m will be written off on the night the republican order becomes history.

Mustang district has witnessed an impressive number of tourists last month. Almost 80,000 tourists visited the mountainous district during the month of Kartik.

The number of domestic tourists is very high, thanks to the festive season.

According to the record of the District Police Office, a total of 5,504 international and 73,879 domestic tourists visited Mustang in Kartik.

The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) offices at Jomsom and Lhomanthang keep the record of the international tourists visiting the district while the Ghasa Police Post and Lete Police Post maintain the record of the domestic tourists.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Mustang Bhojraj Pandey said that the district witnessed queues of tourists in the festivals of Dashain, Tihar and Chhath adding that almost 14,000 vehicles entered the district by carrying tourists in Mustang in a month.

Besides Beni-Jomsom route, the travelers arrived here from Pokhara-Jomsom air route too.

Hotelier Surendra Gauchan of Hotel Ranipauwa at Muktinath said tourist arrival remained exciting in Kartik month. "Tourists did not come as expected during the last year's festive season due to rain but this time the tourists preferred Mustang for their short trip due to better road network and clear weather," Gauchan argued.

Autumn is considered an appropriate time for Mustang visit.

With this impressive number of tourists in the district, the hoteliers and stakeholders here have expressed their satisfaction at the tourism bounce-back in Mustang.

Muktinath, Jomsom, Kagbeni, Lhomanthang, Marpha, Thini and Dhumba Lake are the key tourist and religious attractions for visitors in Mustang.

In the far-flung districts of Jajarkot and West Rukum, the Nepali state is virtually non-existent. 

What used to be houses and sheds have turned into rubble, thanks to the 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck at midnight on Nov 3, killing around 160 people (more than half of them children) in the immediate aftermath, leaving thousands injured and destroying vital physical infrastructure like school buildings and local government facilities.

Three weeks into the disaster, more deaths have occurred even as the survivors, with foodstucks, warm clothing, utensils and medicine buried under the rubble, continue to brave a cruel winter without vital supplies.

What is the ruling elite in Kathmandu doing for the survivors other than providing token relief? Rather than rushing supplies essential for sustaining life after an early ‘completion’ of the search and rescue operation, the VIPs and the VVIPs seemed interested in chopper flights to the affected areas where they made generous promises to the survivors. 

Despite those lofty promises, aid is barely trickling among the survivors. Media reports, including those published in this daily, suggest that various factors continue to affect relief distribution, particularly in far-flung areas of the affected districts. Worryingly, dirty politics is playing spoilsport, together with unwillingness on the part of representatives of relevant organizations to visit remote areas and local authorities’ undeclared policy of distributing relief only to house-owners and not to the renters.

While the post-quake scenarios at Jajarkot and West Rukum deepen fears of an evolving humanitarian disaster, a divided Center continues to act as if nothing has happened. Its immediate priority is on reining in the anarchy reigning supreme on the streets of a more or less curfewed Kathmandu where rival political forces continue to ‘display’ their strength, throwing life out of gears.  

Even in a crisis situation like this, our top political leaders continue to act like warlords instead of working together to deal with fresh crises facing a country already reeling under malgovernance, corruption, nepotism, inflation, instability and the breakdown of law and order. 

Sooner than later, the top brass should mend ways and act together to bring stability back to this trembling republic instead of fighting like the kilkenny cats if they want history to be merciful to them. 

Supporters of Durga Prasai, a  medical entrepreneur turned monarchist, clashed with Nepal Police personnel at Balkhu on Thursday while they were attempting to march toward Singhadurbar to press for the restoration of monarchy and Nepal as a Hindu state.  

This came after clashes between the supporters of Yuwa Sangh, the youth wing of the CPN-UML, and Prasain’s supporters. 

Immediately after Prasai’s address in Balkhu where he told supporters to picket Singhadurbar and thrash leaders of major political leaders, police fired teargas canisters and water cannons at the supporters marching toward Singhadurbar, resulting in minor injuries on both sides. 

Political observers say Prasai’s recent statements and activities are in clear violation of the Constitution and laws. He is trying to fulfill vested interests by inciting violence in the valley but we are exercising restraint, said a senior Nepal Police officer: We are closely monitoring the activities of his group. 

At Tinkune, youth and students staged a demonstration against the government and ‘anarchists’. 

Prasai has been courting controversy for making objectionable comments in violation of the law of the land.

Recently, he organized a program by playing Nepal’s monarchy-era national anthem and undermining the republican anthem, apparently in violation of the Constitution of Nepal 2015.

Section 15 of the Procedure for Use of the National Flag and National Anthem (First Amendment), 2076 has prohibited the use of the national anthem in an insulting and inappropriate manner, whereas Section 17 of the procedure has assigned the responsibility of monitoring and regulating it to the Chief District Officer.

Also, Prasai has made remarks targeting a specific community. In many interviews, he has urged people to join his campaign, promising that individual bank loans up to Rs 2m will be written off on the night the republican order becomes history.

Riot police used batons and tear gas to halt tens of thousands of supporters of Nepal’s former king who attempted to march to the center of the capital on Thursday to demand the restoration of the monarchy and the nation's former status as a Hindu state.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 9.87 points to close at 1, 860.20 points on Thursday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 2. 76 points to close at 356. 98 points.

A total of 4,420,518-unit shares of 292 companies were traded for Rs 1. 34 billion.

Meanwhile, Buddha Bhumi Nepal Hydropower Company Limited was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 9. 97 percent. Likewise, Nabil Bank Limited was the top loser as its price fell by 8.20 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 86 trillion.

Global IME Bank has emerged as the highest taxpayer among all banks and financial institutions in Nepal for the fiscal year 2021/23.

The bank has contributed a corporate tax of Rs 3.2 billion during this period. At present the Global IME Bank holds the position of the largest bank in the country in terms of capital. It has paid-up capital of Rs 35.77 billion, the Global IME Bank said in a press release.

Established in 2007 as a commercial bank, Global IME Bank achieved this status through the merger and acquisition of 21 banks and financial institutions, including five commercial banks, 10 development banks, and six finance companies.

The bank is actively pursuing digitization and has embraced 'Vision-2025', a strategic plan aimed at doubling its business with the utilization of modern technologies and digitization.

The bank has established a nationwide presence with 350 branches, 369 ATM counters, 322 branchless units, and 64 extension counters across all 77 districts of Nepal. It has also expanded its reach internationally with representative offices in London (UK), New Delhi (India) and Sydney (Australia), maintaining three international contact points.

With a customer base exceeding 4.2 million and a workforce of more than 4,000 employees, Global IME Bank continues to solidify its position as a key player in the banking sector.