Former king gyanendra arrives in saptari

Saptari, June 10: Former King Gyanendra arrived in Rajbiraj this afternoon in connection with his visit to central and eastern Terai region.

             The former king arrived here at noon amid stringent security along East- West Highway from Simara, Bara.

            The former monarch went directly to New Green Star Hotel at Rajbiraj without worshiping at the Shambhunath Temple as scheduled, after various student organizations close to various political parties protested his visit since morning.

            Hundreds of his supporters had waited him at Shambhunath Temple as he was scheduled to worship there, but he did not stop there.

            His supporters welcomed him with bouquets of flowers as soon as he entered Rajbiraj town.

            The former king walked on foot from Gajendra Chowk to the hotel, in view of student protests although he was to walk from town gate to Court Road, Siraha Road, Janaandolan Chowk and Gajendrachok upto Rajdevi Temple.

            Earlier, last night student organizations had vandalized welcome gates put up in honor of the former king. Security was tightened   after the vandalism and arson since morning.

            Security has been arranged as VIP in view of the former king's

 Visit, said SP Sanjaya Singh Basnet. A 1008-member Welcome Function Committee has been formed under the convenorship of Binod Pandey to make the visit a success.

            The former king is to worship in various shrines of Makawanpur, Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha and Siraha district during his two-week visit.

            Shah had returned to capital after his son Paras was seriously ill in Thailand when he was to visit Terai in January.  This is the continuity of that visit, sources close to the former king said. RSS