Author: space4knews

7 Chaitra, Khotang – Manlakshmi, wife of Bhupu UK Gurkha Dakmani Rai, passed away in the UK on Falgun 7. Following a family agreement to conduct the funeral in their native village, Dakmani was returning to the village with his children and relatives.

News spread that brothers, neighbors, and close relatives were arriving by helicopter for the funeral. Dakmani’s village is Balabesi of Khotang’s Kepilasgadhi Rural Municipality–2, Khartamcha. On Chaitra 4, Dakmani was preparing to land by helicopter near his home along with his children.

The landing site was a field near Dakmani’s house, marked with a white English letter ‘H’ on the ground. By around 12 noon, the sound of the helicopter was heard. Relatives and neighbors gathered around the landing site.

The approaching helicopter, operated by Air Dynasties, stirred dust with its rotor blades, prompting some locals to step back, while others covered their faces and started recording videos and photos on their phones.

As the helicopter was settling onto the field, it abruptly tilted its tail upwards and took off again, crashing onto the higher ground instead of the intended lower field. It was initially landed beside the field’s edge but overturned when moved closer to the wall, according to eyewitness Prakash Rai.

The pilot was Savin Thapa from Bamrang, Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality–3 in Khotang. Passengers included Dakmani, his son Balkumar Rai, daughter Laxmi Rai, relative Samla Rai, and Pastor Kajibahadur Rai.

Despite the severity of the accident, all passengers except Pastor Kajibahadur escaped unharmed. Kajibahadur was rescued after being pinned under the helicopter wreckage.

Kepilasgadhi Ward Chairperson Milan Rai stated that since the helicopter did not catch fire, the pilot and all passengers survived. The pilot turned off the engine immediately after the incident, preventing a fire.

The plan was to transport Manlakshmi’s body to the village by helicopter; however, the coffin could not fit inside. Arrangements were made to bring the coffin via ambulance while the family traveled by helicopter.

The accident occurred at 11:51 am. Locals were stunned witnesses to the unexpected crash. The helicopter’s rotor blades struck a Patmero tree, breaking in the process. Subsequently, the helicopter overturned and came to rest upside down.

Relatives waiting for Dakmani’s family scattered in shock. Crying and shouting ensued at the scene. Pilot Thapa, Dakmani, his son Balkumar, daughter Laxmi, and relative Samla Rai unfastened their seatbelts and exited the helicopter with ease.

Fifteen to twenty people lifted the damaged helicopter to pull out Pastor Kajibahadur, who was trapped and screaming. “We were fainted at that moment. The helicopter risked exploding, but we lifted it to save the person,” Rai said. “Smoke was coming from the silencer section; the pilot had shut down the engine, so no fire broke out.” The helicopter is currently covered with a tarpaulin.

Eyewitnesses stated that the helicopter initially landed on the lower field but the accident occurred while attempting to move it to the marked ‘H’ landing spot.

Pastor Rai and pilot Thapa, injured in the crash, were immediately flown to Kathmandu by another helicopter. Dakmani’s family has since conducted the funeral of the deceased Manlakshmi.

March 20, Kathmandu – The office of United News of India (UNI), India’s oldest news agency located in New Delhi, has been sealed. According to reports from PTI, Delhi Police sealed the office on Friday following an order from the High Court.

A senior UNI employee told PTI, “In the evening, officials from the Central Government’s property department arrived. They informed us that our lease has expired and demanded we vacate the premises immediately. They forcibly entered our newsroom and dragged us out.”

UNI announced the sealing of its office via the social media platform X. Numerous videos shared on social media show a large number of security personnel present inside the UNI compound. In the videos, the security forces can be heard urging journalists and staff to vacate the premises.

In a post on X, UNI expressed grave concern over press freedom, stating, “The sealing of United News of India, one of the country’s oldest and most respected news agencies, has raised serious alarms about freedom of the press.”

UNI has accused authorities of forcibly evicting its staff without allowing them to take personal belongings and reported that employees faced mistreatment during the clearance process.

The agency also shared a video showing a heavy presence of security forces, with employees describing being pushed and shoved during the eviction.

The English daily ‘The Statesman’ posted on X, describing the event as “an unprecedented assault and crackdown on media freedom in India.” The report highlights that the police raided the UNI office on Rafi Marg without even providing staff adequate time to pack their belongings or make arrangements.

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However, rain is still likely on Saturday in many parts of Lumbini and Karnali provinces, as well as in some areas of Karnali, Bagmati, and Madhesh provinces, officials have reported.

“During the pre-monsoon period marked by short bursts of heavy rain, extra caution is necessary,” said Saroj Pudasaini, meteorologist at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.

Where Are the Road Blockages?

Nepal Police reported on Saturday morning that the BP Highway section connecting Dhulikhel and Bardibas was completely blocked, but by midday, local authorities, security personnel, and road officials managed to reopen it.

This road was severely damaged by devastating rains about a year and a half ago, with nearly 12 kilometers affected. Even this October, rain continues to cause extensive damage there.

Police also reported that one-way traffic is currently being operated on the KI Singh Highway in Dadeldhura due to landslides.

Similarly, landslides have blocked the road at Siddhababa section of the Siddhartha Highway.

On the Mid-Hill Highway, snowfall in various areas of Rukum East has prevented vehicles from moving forward.

Weather Conditions

Photo source, RSS

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology’s forecast division, on Saturday, most parts of the country will experience cloudy skies with moderate rain and snowfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in parts of Gandaki, Lumbini, and Karnali provinces.

The department has also warned of heavy rainfall in certain locations within Koshi, Madhesh, and Lumbini provinces in its latest weather bulletin.

This weather system, which became active on Friday, led to several new heavy rainfall records across various parts of the country within the last 24 hours.

Photo source, RSS

Recent rainfall measurements include 92.2 millimeters in Badyangdi, Palpa; 81 millimeters in Tilottama, Rupandehi; 61.6 millimeters in Morang; 68 millimeters in Ambapur, Dang; and 58.8 millimeters in Kushum, Rapti.

Rainfall between 50 and 100 millimeters within 24 hours is classified as heavy rainfall.

Given it is the pre-monsoon season, winds are expected to pick up during the day, and the department recommends exercising caution when traveling or going outside.

The department’s three-day weather forecast bulletin indicates that on Monday afternoon, hilly and mountainous areas will generally be cloudy, while the Terai region will see partly cloudy skies.

March 20, Kathmandu – The Narcotics Control Bureau of the Nepal Police has arrested five individuals in connection with several cases involving brown heroin and cannabis. According to the bureau, these arrests were made across two separate incidents.

Durga Raj Regmi, spokesperson for the bureau, stated that in the first case, following information that drugs were being sold to students in schools and colleges in Kathmandu, a woman was apprehended in Lalitpur.

The arrested individual is Kalpana Tamang, a 38-year-old woman originally from Thaha Municipality-11 in Makwanpur district. Authorities confiscated 2 kilograms and 300 grams of cannabis and a digital scale from her possession, according to the bureau.

In another incident, after receiving intelligence about the smuggling and sale of brown heroin brought from India in Kathmandu, a task force arrested three men from Factory Chowk, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-15. The arrested individuals are 31-year-old Vishal Shrestha from Sindhupalchok Sunkoshi-5, 39-year-old Arjun Thapa from Chautara-7, and 30-year-old Sagar Tamang from Kavre Temal-8. The police recovered 37 grams and 400 milligrams of brown heroin and a digital scale from them.

Further investigation linked these suspects to Vipul Barma, a 25-year-old from Forbesganj, Araria, Bihar, India, who was arrested by the bureau for supplying the brown heroin. Authorities seized 100 grams of brown heroin from his possession.

March 20, Kathmandu. Two Indian nationals lost their lives after being hit by a bus in the Bhotebahal area of Kathmandu.

The victims, 45-year-old Padam Upadhyay and 37-year-old Satishkumar Kuswaha, were struck by an Om Janata Transport bus traveling from Kalimati towards Tripureshwor in Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward No. 12, Bhotebahal, according to Nareshraj Subedi, spokesperson and Superintendent of the Valley Traffic Police Office.

The bus, bearing the registration number Bagmati Province 3-01-005 Kh 9298, severely injured the victims, who were rushed to the National Trauma Center Friday night for treatment. Both succumbed to their injuries during the course of treatment, Superintendent Subedi confirmed.

The bus driver, 35-year-old Man Bahadur Basnet, originally from Dolakha and residing in Kapan, has been taken into police custody. The police station at Kalimati is currently investigating the incident, the spokesperson added.

-RASAS

March 19 (Chaitra 6), Kathmandu: The Rai and Limbu communities hold 4.36% representation in the House of Representatives.

In the elections held on February 21 (Falgun 21), eight candidates from the Rai and Limbu communities were elected directly, and four were elected through proportional representation. In the 275-member House, this constitutes 4.36% of the total seats.

Directly elected candidates from the Nepali Congress include Narendra Kumar Kerung and Nishkal Rai, while from the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), Suhang Nembang, Rajendra Kumar Rai, and Kshitij Thebe secured seats.

From the Labour Culture Party, Harkraj Rai, Dhruvraj Rai, and Aron Rai were elected directly.

Through proportional representation, Congress candidates Bhishmaraj Andembe and Geeta Kumari Sendang were elected.

From the UML, Bhumikha Limbu Subba and from the Labour Culture Party, Purnaprasad Limbu were elected through proportional representation.

Out of the 275 members, 165 are elected directly and 110 through proportional representation.

Following the February 21 election, six political parties were recognized as national parties. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (Raswapa) emerged as the largest party with 182 seats. The Nepali Congress is second with 38 seats, followed by the CPN-UML with 25 seats and the Nepal Communist Party with 17 seats sharing the third position.

The newly established Labour Culture Party secured seven seats, ranking as the fifth largest party, while the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPR) holds six seats as the sixth party. There is also one independent candidate.

Ravi Lamichhane Apologizes for Lack of Rai and Limbu Representation in Raswapa

Despite being the largest party, Rastriya Swatantra Party does not have any representatives from the Rai and Limbu communities. On this matter, Raswapa chairman Ravi Lamichhane has issued an apology.

While addressing the newly elected members at the party orientation program, Chairman Lamichhane expressed regret that Raswapa could not secure representation from the Rai and Limbu communities in this House of Representatives.

“I express my deepest apologies, as our party was unable to secure representation for the Rai and Limbu communities in this parliamentary term,” Lamichhane stated. “As chairman, I apologize and assure that moving forward, I will prioritize inclusion efforts as an essential component of our agenda.”

March 20, Kathmandu – Japan has successfully claimed the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup football title. In the final held in Sydney, Japan defeated host Australia 1–0 to secure the championship for the third time.

During the first half, Maika Hamano scored an outstanding goal from around 18 meters, giving Japan the lead with her powerful strike that proved to be the match-winner.

Japan displayed an exceptional overall performance throughout the tournament, netting 29 goals while conceding only 2. This victory marked the first title for Japan under the leadership of new coach Nils Nielsen.

Australia suffered their third defeat to Japan in the final, having previously lost to them in the 2014 and 2018 finals as well.

Australian players appeared stunned following the home defeat.

Japan’s coach Nielsen expressed a sense of great relief after the win. He noted that the match was evenly contested and that the outcome was as predicted.

“It is tough to beat Australia here, but the team performed well and we were fortunate in some key moments,” he said.

Highlighting the challenging atmosphere due to enthusiastic home supporters, Nielsen stated, “Playing amid such passionate fans is difficult. Even small mistakes draw strong reactions from the crowd. We still need to improve on creating chances.”

Nonetheless, he expressed pride in the team and emphasized that it was time to celebrate. “I don’t want to analyze too much right now; it’s time to enjoy this. This is Japan’s third title and we won all six matches, so the victory is well deserved,” he added.

March 20, Kathmandu – During the Panchayat regime, political parties were banned. Emerging from this challenging period, the Nepali Congress established the Nepal Student Union (NSU) in 1970 BS to advance the democratic movement.

Founded during a political crisis, the NSU played a leading role in the democratic movement and built a distinguished history by leading decisive movements across the country from its inception through the 2006 People’s Movement.

The history of the Nepali Congress’s sister organization, NSU, is closely tied to the struggle for democracy, the development of student movements, and the rise of youth leadership.

However, the NSU, Nepal’s oldest student organization with a history spanning approximately five and a half decades, unexpectedly resolved on Friday to demand operational autonomy and to cease being a sister organization of the Congress.

NSU spokesperson Suraj Sejuwal stated, “The demand made by NSU is for operational autonomy. While functioning as a sister organization, all decisions had to be made under party directives, which hindered an effective student movement. Therefore, the NSU’s empowered Senate meeting passed this resolution.”

NSU President Dujang Sherpa explained that due to the lack of autonomy, it was even challenging to conduct timely general conventions, prompting this decision. “Without party directives, we cannot implement initiatives; from the outside, it might appear that we do not want to hold a convention,” he said. “When we submitted a timetable per Sinha’s guidelines, it wasn’t approved, and there was resistance to amending the constitution. For these reasons, we demand autonomy.”

However, the Nepali Congress has regarded this decision by NSU as inappropriate. According to Congress General Secretary Gururaj Ghimire, the NSU’s Senate does not have the authority to make such a decision.

“This decision is neither rational nor appropriate from any perspective,” he said. “The authority to maintain or dissolve any institution lies with the Nepali Congress. The entire Senate does not have such jurisdiction.”

General Secretary Ghimire emphasized that full rights over sister and affiliated organizations rest with the Congress. “The Congress holds the authority to decide how many sister organizations to have and which to dissolve,” he said.

He clarified that only the party granting sister organization status can designate the NSU as a sister organization or withdraw that status. “Only the granting party can maintain or separate such an institution,” he explained. “This is not a matter to be declared independently. The decision taken by NSU is a disciplinary violation.”

Although individual NSU members may leave the organization, the entire body cannot decide to cease being a sister organization, he clarified. “Institutionally, there is no room for indiscipline,” he said.

The NSU has stated that it remains grounded in the values of the Congress and continues to follow the principles laid out by the late leader B.P. Koirala, affirming that this decision does not signify rejection of the party and its trust, according to spokesperson Sejuwal.

“We are no different from Congress and fully embrace the party’s values,” he said. “The principles advocated by B.P. Koirala will continue to guide us.”

However, General Secretary Ghimire reiterated that since the NSU is considered a child of the Congress, “Just as a human granted citizenship by descent cannot renounce their identity, a sister organization is the party’s child, and decisions on such matters fall under the party’s authority. Therefore, NSU has no right to make such a decision.”

The Congress plans to discuss the NSU Senate’s decision in the upcoming Central Working Committee meeting. This meeting will also conduct an initial review of the resignation of party president Gagan Kumar Thapa and discuss upcoming elections along with the NSU issue.

“This matter will be raised in tomorrow’s meeting. The NSU is a historic institution and serves as the party’s backbone,” said General Secretary Ghimire. “Separating it would render the party’s history incomplete.”

He recalled that the NSU was established to organize university students and select leaders for the democratic movement during the Panchayat era.

“The founding leaders established this institution with the advice of party leaders at that time, and it has played a historic role,” he said. “It cannot be separated from the history of the Congress party.”