When Home Minister Krishna Sitaula was lecturing on his security plans at a programme in Kavre Sunday, a murder was taking place in broad daylight in Bara at almost the same time, and there were series of bomb blasts in the commercial town of Birgunj.

Violent gangs in Terai seem to be unmoved by the government’s warning to deal with them with an iron hand if they do not comply. However, for several weeks now, there have been reports of killings and abductions taking place on a daily basis. Law enforcement agencies look helpless.

Apart from nearly a dozen armed outfits of questionable political motives, untold number of criminal gangs are engaged in murder, abduction and extortion in Terai.

On Sunday morning, an unidentified gang shot and killed a local trader in Bariyapur village in Bara district. Shyam Kishor Kushwaha, 32, of Pattharhatti, Bara, was shot by four gunmen who came on two motorbikes. Kushwaha, who owned a bicycle shop in Bariyapur, died while being rushed to a hospital in the district headquarters Kalaiya.

In Siraha district, one Rakesh Kumar Nandan, who was abducted by unidentified gang from Siraha Bazaar Thursday night, was found dead in Chatari VDC today.

Similarly, one alleged dacoit was killed in a clash with Armed Police Force (APF) personnel in Banarmula area of Saptari district, last night.

Reports from Birgunj say six bomb simultaneous blasts occurred in front of a commercial building Sirpur this afternoon while an exploded crude bomb was found in front of a school in the town. No human casualty was reported in the explosions.

Nobody has claimed responsibility for the blasts, but police said one of the several criminal gangs involved extorting money from local businessmen might be behind this.