Rautahat, August 26

Given the tumultuous circumstances, as many as 26 police posts have been shifted from the rural parts of Rautahat district of late.

Police units, including six temporary police posts, have been shifted elsewhere in view of the violence caused by to the indefinite Madhes bandh imposed by United Democratic Madhesi Front, an alliance of different Madhes-based parties.

According to DSP Sudhirraj Shahi, spokesperson of Rautahat District Police Office, police posts of Madhopur, Pipara Rajawada, and Dharampur have been shifted to Gangapipara Area Police Office.

Similarly, Rajpur Farahadawa Area Police Office has been shifted to Fatuha Maheshpur-based Armed Police Force base camp; the border police post of Gaur Municipality to the police post stationed at Gaur Customs Office; and Araiya Police Post to the nearby Armed Police Force Camp.

Earlier, after Raj Kishor Thakur, 24, of Mathiya died when police opened fire at demonstrators in Gaur, irate locals set the temporary Mathiya Police Post on fire yesterday. However, no human casualty was reported in the arson as all police personnel were on duty.

Though sources have attributed the festering agitation as the possible reason for the shifting of police units with minimal number of policemen, DSP Shahi, however, described the step as a strategy to bolster the security situation in the district.

“The posts were shifted in order to strengthen security in the district for the time being. The personnel shall return to their original stations once the situation normalses,” he said.

Tarai Madhes Democratic Party district leader Anil Singh today chastised the police, alleging them of using excessive force and indulging in indiscriminate firing.

“The government has not allowed political leaders to even visit the hospital where Thakur’s body is kept, which is unfortunate and reminiscent of the Rana autocracy,” he argued. DSP Shahi, however, said preparations were under way to hand over the body to the concerned family.

The 42km Gaur-Chandranigahapur road section and its vicinity within one kilometre radius has been wearing a deserted look ever since the administration declared the area riot-hit on Monday night. Madhesi leaders have been demonstrating in the villages.