MUSTANG: Villagers here staged a demonstration demanding formation of a village council by merging the Tukuche and Kobang VDCs of Mustang district.

They have protested the decision of the Local Level Restructuring Technical Assistance Committee to merge the two VDCs with Thasang village council without their prior consent.

The villagers had submitted a memorandum to the Committee for forming a village council by integrating the two villages earlier; but their demand has not been addressed, according to locals.

They have been continuing the protest in Kobang and Jomsom, the district headquarters, to call attention to their demand. The protestors enforced a shutdown of transportation in the two VDCs on Thursday for three hours and burned tyres at the Jomsom Airport.

Local Development Officer (LDO) Hari Prasad Banstola said the State Restructuring Commission had already been informed of the villagers' demand.

The Thakali community holds majority in both the VDCs.