Surkhet, August 11

As many as 15 persons were injured today, as police fired at protesters, who were demanding to keep the mid-west region intact and resorted to violence in Birendranagar, Surkhet, where three persons were killed in police firing yesterday.

Of the injured, eight are being treated at Deuti Nursing Home while the remaining are receiving treatment at the Mid-west Regional Hospital.

Protesting locals had staged a rally putting forth a charter of demands, including martyr’s status for those killed yesterday, declaration of intact mid-west and proclamation of Surkhet as the provincial capital. Police fired more than 25 rounds to control the mob. Relatives of the deceased, students and locals took out a rally and shouted slogans against NC Joint General Secretary Purna Bahadur Khadka. Surkhet CDO Baldev Gautam said police had to open fire to control the unruly mob. Families of the deceased have refused to accept bodies.

DAO Surkhet clamped a curfew from 6:00pm to 9:00pm to bring the situation under control in Birendranagar.

People from neighbouring districts of Dailekh, Kalikot and Jajarkot came to Birendranagar to support the agitation.

In Jumla, one person was injured when police opened fire at a demonstration demanding to keep the mid-west undivided. Raju Mahat, Construction Entrepreneurs’ Association Jumla district chairman, was shot in the leg. He is undergoing treatment at district hospital.

Agitating people vandalised the offices of NC, UML and UCPN-Maoist in Jumla. Properties in the NC office were set ablaze. An indefinite bandh was called from today in Dolpa seeking to keep the mid-west intact.

In Jajarkot, a district shutdown was enforced. Market places, educational institutions and factories pulled down their shutters in Jajarkot headquarters Khalanga and adjoining areas.

Vehicles stayed off the roads. A two-day general strike continued today in Rukum and Salyan demanding an intact Rapti. The strike was enforced against the decision to split Rukum sand merge Salyan into Province No 6.

Salyan Rukum Transport Entrepreneurs’ Committee Chairman Lokman Budhathoki warned that they would continue with their agitation until both the districts were incorporated into Province No 5.

Tharuhat bandh

KAILALI: Life was hit hard due to a bandh called by Tharuhat in Kailali on Tuesday. Buses stayed off the roads, while schools and market places remained shut. The Tharuhat Agitation Movement Struggle Committee took out rallies at several places in the district. Tharuhat leaders accused the four major parties of denying Tharus their rights. They charged that the six-province federal model would not help guarantee the rights of Tharus. Tharuhat and Joint Madhesi Morcha have also called an indefinite Bardiya bandh seeking separate provinces.