14 killed as jeep plunges into river

MYAGDI, OCT 05 -
Fourteen people were killed when a jeep fell into the Kali Gandaki river along the Beni-Jomsom road at Dana VDC in Myagdi district on Tuesday.

The vehicle carrying pilgrims headed to Muktinath Temple had left for Mustang from Beni when the accident occurred at the Baadarjunge cliff, some 37 km north of Beni. As of evening, police were able to establish the identity of only 11 victims: Gopal Khorja, Sabin Rai, Sabina Baniya, Chim Bahadur Bhujel, Saraswati Bhujel, Salisma Thakali, Kelsang Thakali, Prakash Sharma Poudel, Juna Sharma, Lila Sharma and Damodari Upadhyaya.

One of the survivors, Totra Baniya, said the jeep rolled backward after being unable to make an uphill climb before falling into the river. Baniya jumped off the vehicle just in time to save himself. Susmita Thakali, who also survived the accident with injuries, was taken to Pokhara for treatment.  It has only been two years since vehicles started plying the Beni-Jomsom road. source

Mastermind in heavies’ havens

KATHMANDU, OCT 05 -
Police investigating the racket involved in leakage of MBBS entrance question paper have claimed that the mastermind—Dr. Prabhat Kumar Kuswaha—is still hiding in the Capital under the protection of top-level ministers and government officials.

Dr. Kuswaha is on the run ever since Saturday’s mid-night raid at his rented accommodation in Maitidevi that revealed his alleged involvement in the leakage of the MBBS entrance question paper and duping aspiring doctors.

A senior police investigator claimed that there is sufficient evidence to corroborate claims that heavyweights are sheltering Dr. Kuswaha. The alleged mastermind has been in touch with some ministers and top-level government officials. Police said the racketeers have a nexus with those who are currently protecting him.

Dr. Kuswaha is believed to a close aide of Minister for Health Umakant Chaudhary and former Minister for Education Ram Chandra Kuswaha, a police source said without giving details.

In the wee hours of Saturday, police raided the rented accommodation of Dr. Kuswaha at Maitidevi from where 16 persons were rounded up on the basis of intelligence inputs that they were preparing to leak MBBS’ entrance question paper. But Dr. Kuswaha, Prajwal KC and a third person managed to flee. Police claimed that KC has left Kathmandu Valley for an unknown location while Kuswaha is still in the Capital.

Police said District Education Officer Kedar Tiwari and Dr. Ramakanta Prasad Jaiswal of Bara, who were also arrested and freed later, have also come under the

scanner as their presence during the midnight deal was suspicious.

Given their “shady past”, police suspect that Tiwari and Dr. Jaiswal could be a part of the racket.

Investigator said that the seizure of loaded arms and ammunition recovered from Dr. Kuswaha lends credence to the suspicion that they were making a big deal so as to leak the question papers and, they could have even prepared themselves to finish off rivals. It has also been unearthed that four arrested Indians had supplied the arms and ammunition to Dr. Kuswaha. Police said

they have begun investigation into Dr. Kusuwaha’s bank account, income and expenditure and his present status.

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“It is questionable how a middle-class man, Dr. Kusuwaha, who was hardly into his line of profession, could build a big mansion worth millions and ride an expensive SUV,” said a senior police officer. Suspicion abounds that Dr. Kuswaha and his henchmen were into this illegal profession for the last few years had fleeced dozens of MBBS aspirants.

So far, the police have found three aspirants of the MBBS entrance examination, who had told the police that Dr. Kuswaha took Rs. 3 million from them. Dr. Kusuwaha and his accomplices had promised the three sure-shot success in the examination. Police are also keeping at least four MBBS preparation institutes under the scanner for their alleged involvement in the racket. The Metropolitan Police Range, Hanumandhoka, said a massive manhunt is on to nab the absconders. “Apart from that, the police have put the freed suspects under constant surveillance,” said SP Kharel. Given the sensitivity of the crime, SP Kharel said that the Crime Investigation Bureau of Police as well as Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority can also take up the case for further investigation. Source