Activists of the United Madheshi Front (UMF) have as per the party’s previously scheduled protest programme padlocked administrative offices in various Terai districts Friday.

The Front, which was recently formed by Upendra Yadav’s Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) and Rajendra Mahato-led Sadbhawana Party, padlocked more than a dozen District Administration Offices including Dhanusha, Siraha and Saptari in Terai region as part of its second phase of protest to apply pressure on the government to implement the 22-point deal it had reached with MJF on August 30, 2007.

The UMF’s second phase of protest will continue till February 3.

While forcibly locking down the government offices, the UMF activists also clashed with the security personnel in various districts resulting in a number of its party’s activists being injured.

Reports from Rajbiraj say that some half a dozen agitators were injured when police used force to bar them from shutting down the district’s administration office while Chief District Officer of Dhanusha Ram Sharan Chimuriya has said that they would defy the Front’s warnings and continue providing service to the general people.

Meanwhile, reports say the Front and Mahantha-Thakur led Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party (TMLP) have forged a working alliance to push the Madhes agitation. The decision was taken at a meeting held recently between the two parties in Kathmandu after the Front agreed to the 11-ponit demand put forth by TMLP. nepalnews.com ag Feb 01 08