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A woman died while four others were injured in separate wildfires in Panchthar.

The victim of the wildfire occurred in the Tamrakhu forest of Kummayak Rural Municipality-3 was a local Pratima Sambhahamphe (26). 

Three others injured in the fire were Sapana Sambahamphe (28), Shivana Sambahamphe (11) and Nirmaya Sambahamphe (60).

They were in the forest to collect fodder, according to the police inspector at the District Police Office, Bina Lal Sah.

The injured ones have been taken to the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) for treatment. 

Injured seriously in the incident, Pratima breathed her last on the way, while three others are undergoing treatment.

Chairperson of ward no 3 from Kummayak Rural Municipality, Baburam Karki, informed that the forest fire has not been extinguished yet.

The locals were worried about the spread of the blaze in the nearby village if it was not doused on time. 

Meanwhile, Usha Nembang Rai (47), from Phidim-14 has been injured in a fire that occurred in the Raniban Community Forest. 

Rai was collecting wood from the forest. She has been receiving treatment at BPKIHS.

A person died in a fire that occurred in a community forest at Bhimphedi rural Municipality-1, Makwanpur district on Thursday.

The victim was Akil Bahadur Pakhrin, 49, according to the District Police Office, Makwanpur.

Pakhrin had gone to take care of a cowshed near the Bokedaha community forest. While going to the cowshed, he, accidently, fell off a cliff, reaching the community forest that was on fire. 

He was found burnt to death in the forest, said Deputy Superintendent of Police, Shyamu Aryal.

The lifeless body was taken to Hetauda Hospital for a postmortem and investigation into the incident was underway, the police added.

The events of March 28, 2025 at Tinkune remain shrouded in uncertainty. What started as a pro-monarchy demonstration quickly spiraled into a violent confrontation between protestors and police. Protestors claim the situation escalated when police fired teargas shells while they were assembling for a peaceful demonstration. On their part, police officials argue they had no choice but to intervene after some commanders allegedly urged crowds to advance toward the airport and the parliamentary building.

In the aftermath, police arrested Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) leaders Rabindra Mishra and Dawlshamsher Rana for their alleged involvement in inciting a mob that vandalized multiple office buildings and private properties in the Tinkune area.  Authorities are now collecting evidence to file cases against them, while Durga Prasai—reportedly named as a protest commander—remains on the run. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs and Nepal Police are under fire for their handling of the protests. Reports indicate that officers used live rounds on demonstrators, with at least 20 people injured in the shootings. Tragically, two individuals—including a journalist—lost their lives, while dozens more sustained injuries. The police have admitted to the shootings, claiming they aimed to defuse tensions.

Adding to the chaos, misinformation and disinformation have flooded social media. Fake videos falsely linked to the Tinkune incident have been widely circulated, making it even harder to determine the truth. Protestors also launched a targeted attack on media houses, vandalizing the offices of Annapurna Media Network and Kantipur Television and even attempting to set them on fire.

Surprisingly, international media rights organizations and democratic nations—including the United States and the European Union—have remained silent. This marks a stark departure from their usual strong stance on press freedom violations in Nepal. The silence raises questions about whether human rights and freedom of speech are still priorities for the global democratic community. Some analysts even speculate that the shift could be linked to Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency.

Amid the growing controversy, there is mounting pressure on the government to establish an independent commission to investigate the Tinkune incident. Such a body could uncover the truth, ensure justice for victims, and hold those responsible accountable. However, Nepal’s major political parties have shown little interest in forming such a commission.

The incident has also exposed serious flaws within Nepal’s security apparatus. First, there was a lack of coordination among agencies. Second, security forces failed to gather intelligence on Prasai’s plans in advance. Lastly, Nepal’s law enforcement faces severe shortages of essential equipment, with no significant procurement in the last decade.

The government has pointed fingers at former King Gyanendra Shah, alleging that he played a role in orchestrating the protests by appointing Prasai as a commander. On March 27—just a day before the demonstrations—Shah met with Prasai, further fueling suspicions. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has publicly stated in Parliament that the former king was involved and "will not be spared." However, it remains unclear what legal actions, if any, will be taken against him.

Meanwhile, political leaders are busy countering the pro-monarchy narrative that the republican system has failed Nepal. Nepali Congress General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma has sought to shift the debate by presenting comparative data on development under monarchy versus republican governance. Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah’s move to fine the former king for the environmental damage caused by protestors has also drawn mixed reactions. Major political parties who criticized Mayor Balen’s activities in the past are now praising him, while pro-monarchy forces have decried the mayor’s action.

Despite their shared goal of restoring the monarchy, pro-monarchy factions remain divided. Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) leaders Rajendra Lingden and Kamal Thapa, while supporting the broader movement, chose not to participate in the March 28 protests. In contrast, Mishra and Rana did, despite warnings that Prasai’s involvement could lead to violence.

Leadership changes have also added to the instability. With Nava Raj Subedi placed under house arrest following the protests, Jagman Gurung has taken over the movement’s leadership. However, internal conflicts continue to plague the royalist forces, threatening their momentum.

India’s influence has also been a topic of debate. Last week, the CPN-UML had to issue a formal statement clarifying that it never accused India of backing the pro-monarchy movement. Despite this, some communist leaders continue to push the narrative that India is supporting the royalist cause. Meanwhile, Nepal’s Ambassador to India, Shankar Sharma, recently met with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, sparking speculation about whether India—or at least some of its political figures—has a stake in the unrest.

The pro-monarchy movement shows no signs of slowing down, with protestors vowing to continue demonstrations despite the setback on March 28. However, the movement faces internal fractures, wavering political support, and government crackdowns. Whether the former king himself will break his silence remains an open question, but his close aides insist that he does not take sides in political matters.

Hungary’s government has announced it will withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), just before Prime Minister Viktor Orban was to receive his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, the subject of an ICC arrest warrant, BBC reported.

The announcement comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in Budapest early Thursday morning for his first trip to Europe since 2023, defying the ICC's arrest warrant against him.

Last November, one day after the ICC issued the arrest warrant for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban extended an invitation to him, according to BBC.

Despite being an ICC member, Orban swore that the EU member would not execute the warrant, seeing the court's decision as "intervening in an ongoing conflict for political purposes."