“He is due to appear in the Palmerston North District Court [on Tuesday] on the warrant to arrest and multiple charges of reckless driving, failing to stop, and dangerous driving. Further charges are being considered.” Just before 4pm a staff member from Milson School said the school was in an emergency situation and had gone into lockdown. A post on the school’s Facebook page about 4.30pm said the lockdown, which lasted 50 minutes, was over. A mother, who did not want to be named, was picking up her child when she noticed the armed police lining Carlisle St across the road from Rutland Place where Milson School is sited.
Prayash Poudyel, 7 is hard at work during one of his lessons. The children read Nepalese books at home, and were spoken to in their mother tongue but mostly replied in English. “We are proud. We encourage them to speak Nepalese at home, so the language is not lost.” Dhakal said his parents lived in the United States, and the family would video chat often. “Our parents don’t speak English, so there is a big gap if they don’t speak Nepali.” He said the children would previously draw pictures to communicate with their grandparents, but could now ask basic questions and hold a conversation.
Poudyel has not given up hope and has been praying for his safe return, but the arrival of his daughter has been a welcome distraction from the constant worry the family has felt since October. At his home on Saturday the family held Nwaran, a Hindu name giving ceremony, for his 11-day-old daughter named Prava. It would have been perfect if his father had been there, Poudyel said.
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Bir Bahadur Poudel, 69, has been missing for six months. “We miss our dad. When she was born it gave us happiness, but we feel quite sad because if my dad was here maybe he would be as happy as we are now.