220 rhinos die in CNP in eight years

A total of 220 rhinos died in Chitwan National Park (CNP) and vicinity in eight years. The CNP said that among the casualties, 64 rhinos died of aging and falling off cliffs; and 19 died in morass and floods. Information officer at CNP, Ganesh Prasad Tiwari, said that 51 pachyderms died while fighting each other. Similarly, 20 rhinos were killed in tiger attacks, nine in poaching, eight in electric shock, and 12 of illness. Three pachyderms died being trapped in a trench, five by consuming toxic things, while the reason behind the death of 29 rhinos is not ascertained yet. Tiwari further said that in the last eight years, 100 male and 76 female rhinos died, while the number of rhinos with unidentified sex stood at 44 in this period. Comparatively, since fiscal year-2072/73, the highest number of deaths, 43, was recorded in fiscal year-2075/76. Similarly, 14 rhinoceroses- lowest in eight years- died in fiscal year-2072/73. The CNP has been running various programs to manage grazing land and conserve water for rhinos.

We have no involvement in the case of fake refugees: Rayamajhi (With video)

Parliament member Top Bahadur Rayamajhi said that he has no involvement in the case of fake Bhutanese refugees. Rayamajhi made it clear that he has no involvement in the case of fake Bhutanese refugees after police issued an arrest warrant against him. Talking briefly with journalists in Arghakhanchi on Wednesday, Rayamajhi said, “I have no involvement in this case.” The former energy minister, however, said that he has been taking initiatives to resolve the long-term problem of Bhutanese refugees. The Kathmandu District Court today issued an arrest warrant against former minister Rayamajhi. He was elected as a member of the House of Representatives from Arghakhanchi in the November 20 elections. An arrest warrant was also issued against his son Sandeep. SSP Dan Bahadur Karki, Chief at the District Police Range, Kathmandu, said that arrest warrants were issued against Rayamajhi and his son in the case of fake Bhutanese refugees. Earlier this afternoon, police arrested Tek Narayan Pandey, Secretary at the Vice President’s Office, for his alleged involvement in the same case. On Tuesday, police had apprehended Indrajit Rai, security advisor of former Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa. An arrest warrant has also been issued against his son Niraj. But he is on the run. Sita Ram Rijal, spokesperson at the District Police Range, Kathmandu, said that two complaints have been filed against Rayamajhi saying that he was involved in sending people to the United States making them refugees. Based on the complaints, seven people have been arrested so far. Rayamajhi’s aide Sanu Bhandari, Keshav Dulal, former personal secretary of Nepali Congress leader Sujata Koirala, Sagar Thulung, Tanaka Gurung and Sandesh Sharma Pokharel have already been arrested.  

Nepal reports 91 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday

Nepal reported 91 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 336 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 27 returned positive. Likewise, 2, 196 people underwent antigen tests, of which 64 tested positive. The Ministry said that no one died of the virus in the last 24 hours and 59 infected people recovered from the disease. As of today, there are 220 active cases in the country.    

3 killed, 5 injured in Bandipur truck accident

Three persons died and five others were injured when a truck hit a house in Bandipur. Police identified the deceased as Ayush Bhujel (12), Chet Bahadur Gharti (50) and San Bahadur Bhujel (69) of Bandupur Rural Municipality-1. DSP Mohan Bahadur Khand said that all of them died in the course of treatment at the Purano Medical College in Bharatpur. Police said that the incident occurred after the driver lost control of the vehicle (Na 4 Kha 1973) and hit the houses belonging to Sanumaya Bhujel and San Bahadur Bhujel near Aadhikhola in Bandipur Rural Municipality-5 of Tanahun along the Prithvi Highway. The injured have been identified as Ayusha Bhujel (6), Jasmin Bhujel (10), Ishwor Bhujel (10), Samir Bhujel (8) and Santosh Bhujel (5). Following the incident, locals obstructed the highway for four hours.