Air services affected on day IV

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

DHANGADI: Denizens in Far-west who have been protesting for the past four days demanding an undivided region in the new constitution halted the air service in Dhangadi airport from today.

The demonstrators from Dhangadi and Attariya of Kailali reached Dhangadi airport and locked the terminal building, security gate and oil corporation office. Two flights of Yeti and Buddha were cancelled today after the demonstrators padlocked the offices.

One of the demonstrators Lokraj Pandey informed that they urged the civil aviation office not to operate flight service until the end of their protest.

The flight of Buddha air that was about to take off from Kathmandu was cancelled, while passengers had reached Dhangadi airport despite the bandh had to return after the flight was cancelled.

Meanwhile, bandh enforcers padlocked the custom office located at Trinagar of Kailali district. The enforcers padlocked the custom office at 10 am. Kailali SP Bashanta Panta informed that the police opened the lock of the custom office later.

Today’s bandh was called by the entrepreneurs in Kailali. A rally was organised under the leadership of former general secretary Kailali Mohan Sharma.

Similarly, Far Western Awareness Forum started fasting in Kanchhanpur from today. Coordinator of the forum Pushparaj Joshi including other cadres started relay fasting in front of the District Administration Office. Joshi claimed that they would continue the protest until their demands are addressed.

According to some reports, the bandh would be withdrawn in Kanchhanpur on Monday, but transportation services did not resume in the district. Though the market place was open, all other organisations remained closed today. The bandh enforcers said that they continue bandh as they failed to hold talks with the Tharu intellectuals as per the earlier agreement.

A report from Doti informed that the agitators organised a torch rally here on Monday evening. Issuing a joint press release, various political parties in Kailali demanded to open the market places and resume the vehicular services for 24 hours as many passengers have been stranded in the district.