Good morning!
Here’s a quick summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from Monday to kickstart your Tuesday.
Important
PM says he couldn’t sleep after learning about Sindhupalchok accident
Amid criticisms that the government failed to take concrete measures to prevent road accident deaths, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has claimed that the frequent news reports about the accidents has drawn his attention. During a meeting with transport and security officials at his residence in Baluwatar on Monday, the prime minister said he could not eat and sleep well after learning about a bus accident in Sindhupalchok on Sunday morning that killed 15 people.
“Such accidents have claimed a lot of competent human resources. Elderly and children have been rendered helpless,” he said, “A plan of action should be developed to stop it.” Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Physical Infrastructure and Transport Minister Basanta Kumar Nembang among others had attended the meeting.
A group of lawmakers moves court against pork-barrel fund
Three lawmakers have filed a writ against the government’s decision to distribute Rs 60 million to each member of the House of Representatives for the construction of infrastructures in their constituencies. Rangamati Shahi, Prakash Pantha and Prakash Rasaili (Snehi) filed the writ at the Supreme Court on Tuesday, demanding an interim order to prevent the decision’s implementation.
The lawmakers have claimed that the Local Infrastructure Partnership Programme contradicts various constitutional provisions. The constitutional bench of the apex court will hear the case.
Ignored
Woman gang-raped in Kathmandu
A woman has recently told police that she was frequently gang-raped by two persons of her acquaintance in Kathmandu. The woman said she tolerated the abuse initially, as one of the men assured her that she would not need to pay back him a loan. Later, she approached a women’s rights NGO seeking help, which referred the case to the police.
Meanwhile, police arrested two persons for their alleged involvement in the act. Police say the suspects would be taken to the Kathmandu District Court on Tuesday seeking a remand to continue the investigation.
Court acquits police officer arrested red-handed with bribe
A Nepal Police officer, who was arrested red-handed while receiving Rs 140,000 bribe from a sand trader, has been acquitted of the corruption charge. A division bench of Krishna Giri, Shanti Singh Thapa and Chandra Bahadur Saru at the Special Court pronounced that DSP Shyam Kumar Rai was not guilty of the crime.
Earlier, the anti-corruption constitutional body, Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, had filed a case against them. Rai is said to be related to Home Secretary Prem Kumar Rai.
Siddhababa’s remand extended again
The Sunsari District has extended the remand of religious leader Krishna Bahadur Giri known as Siddhababa by seven days. The religious leader faces a charge of raping one of his followers. He was arrested from a health facility around two weeks ago.
Interesting
Mohan Baidya’s party launches campaign on Kalapani
The NCP-Revolutionary Maoist, a small political group led by Mohan Baidya ‘Kiran’ has announced a campaign against India’s controversial political map. The party, who was passive for the past few months, said its cadres would go to Kalapani, the disputed land which Indian map claimed to be a part of India, and claimed the land to belong to Nepal. Likewise, the party will stage various forms of demonstrations in different parts of the country.
