Good morning!
Here’s a summary of important, ignored and interesting reports from Wednesday to kickstart your Thursday.
Important
IED goes off at Dhakal’s house
An improvised explosive device went off at the house of Shobha Kanta Dhakal, a trader who was dragged in controversy for his alleged involvement in the Baluwatar land scam, in Nagarjun municipality of Kathmandu on Wednesday evening. The banned Maoist party led by Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’ has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The explosion did not cause any significant damage.
Meanwhile, the Maoist group said it also ‘seized’ the government land in Baluwatar which many people have allegedly transferred to their names. Police found a banner with the claim in Baluwatar last night.
Dahal says he is responsible for the murder of 5,000 citizens during war
The executive chairman of the ruling Nepal Communist Party, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, has said he is ready to accept the blame for murdering around 5,000 people during the decade-long Maoist war in the 1990s and the 2000s. Dahal’s statement comes at a time when the country’s transitional justice process is in limbo even though 13 years have been over since the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. It has been claimed that around 17,000 Nepalis were killed during the war.
Speaking at a function organised on the occasion of Maghi festival in Kathmandu on Thursday, Dahal said the then state party killed around 12,000 people during the war.
Ignored
Supreme Court lawyers say new IT bill is restrictive
The Nepal Bar Association chapter at Supreme Court has said that the Information Technology Bill which a committee in the House of Representatives recently forwarded to the full House can restrict the freedom of expression. The human rights committee of the chapter has concluded that the bill would severely affect the fundamental rights of social media users and journalists.
Likewise, its provisions are against the sentiments of the country’s constitution and international laws as well as principles of the independent judiciary, comments the chapter.
Mobile phones worth Rs one million confiscated from Banepa shop
Police in Banepa city of Kavrepalanchok district on Wednesday confiscated 29 mobile phones worth Rs 1 million from a local shop claiming they were imported evading customs.
Inspector Yogendra Timalsina at Banepa Area Police Post says police also arrested Sunil Khanal and Sudeep Khanal, operators of Brothers Mobile. They have been sent to the Department of Revenue Investigation for further investigation.
Meanwhile, in another case, police in Naagdhunga of Kathmandu also confiscated mobile phones worth Rs 3.5 million from the Naagdhunga checkpoint. The phones were confiscated from a passenger bus coming to Kathmandu from Birgunj, according to DSP Ghana Shyam Shrestha.
Interesting
Free internet for households insuring daughters in Province 2
The Province 2 government has announced that it will provide a free internet facility to the families in the province if they insure daughters in the family. The facility will be available for three months.
The government says it is a part of its ambitious ‘Save Daughters: Educate Daughters’ campaign.
Meanwhile, the government signed an agreement with Subisu Cable Net Pvt Ltd regarding the internet facility.
