Despite the welcome of Prime Minister’s offer for talks by president of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) Upendra Yadav, the activists of MJF intensified violent riots on Thursday across a number of districts in eastern Terai.
Local administration clamped curfew in places such as Birgunj, Biratnagar, Janakpur and Siraha.
Terai protests: A stranded ambulance with a tree blocking the Mahendra highway between Lahan and Inaruwa, Thursday, Jan 25 07. Photo courtesy: Min Bajracharya
Terai protests: A stranded ambulance with a tree blocking ..
Janakpur witnessed clashes and demonstrations all the day despite curfew. The local administration has announced fresh overnight curfew between 6 pm till 4 am Friday morning. Earlier, the administration had clamped curfew between 10 am till 5 pm. But the violence continued as over 57 demonstrators and seven security personnel were injured in different clashes. The demonstrators vandalised office of Maoists, police post, vehicles and custom office, among others.
As the protests in Terai districts took violent turn, the local administration of Parsa district had also announced curfew in Birgunj between 1.30 pm till 10 pm today.
The administration said the curfew was clamped as the protests started turning violent and there were clashes between the cadres of MJF and local people.
The local people retaliated after cadres of MJF started vandalising vehicles and shops.
Ghantaghar, Birta and Chapkaiya areas in Birgunj remained tense since the morning.
However, there was no report of untoward incident after the curfew came into effect.
On the other hand, administration announced curfew between 4 pm till 10 pm this evening in Biratnagar after activists of MJF clashed with groups of people protesting their demonstrations. There was clash between the MJF activists and transport workers at Campus Chowk this morning in Biratnagar.
Reports say the MJF activists marched around Biratnagar brandishing homemade weapons. The protesters vandalised some vehicles with Nepali registration numbers plying on the street. Locals said the MJF men, however, didn’t touch vehicles with Indian number plates.
Curfew is in place in Lahan of Siraha district also. Inaruwa of Sunsari district, too, witnessed flashes of violent demonstrations on Thursday. MJF activists tried to attack assistant CDO Mohan Prasad Pokharel leading to clash between police and protesters.
Meanwhile, speaking in the parliament on Thursday, Maoist leader Matrika Yadav urged the government to change the interim constitution to address concerns of Madhesi people. He, however, accused hands of royalists and Hindu extremists in the ongoing violence.
On the other hand, Upendra Yadav has rejected the infiltration by royalists or extremists in the MJF demonstrations. “We are totally in favour of republic,” he claimed.