Surkhet, August 17

Protesters who have been demanding a separate Karnali province with special rights defied the curfew and set two government offices ablaze in Jumla today as the agitation entered ninth day.

Protesters defied indefinite curfew that DAO had clamped from 8:00am and set District Post Office and Agriculture Research Council’s Bagwani Office ablaze. The Bagwani building was completely destroyed in arson.

Jumla DSP Bishnu Hari Koirala said they failed to douse the fire, as agitators pelted them with stones and the police could not reach the Bagwani building on time.

Demonstrators also torched the main gate of District Post Office, a motorbike parked there, two solar panels and documents house in DPO. DSP Koirala said police were able to prevent the fire from spreading in the post office, as it is built next to the police office. Agitators had torched District Education Office and Forest Office yesterday.

District Headquarters Khalanga remained tense throughout the day, as protesters defied curfew orders. Six agitators were injured when the police batons rained down on them. The condition of two of the injured is said to be critical.

Police had to fire three blank shots to disperse the mob. Narendra Bahadur Shahi from Kudari said majority of the residents had showed up for the protest in the area.

Jumla DAO has issued shoot-at-sight orders for defying the curfew. Issuing a public notice, DAO asked the public not to come out of their homes during curfew hours.

The protesters also set ablaze all the signboards of the government offices and claimed that they had captured government offices in Kudari VDC.

Issuing a joint press statement here today, 11 political parties condemned the police for shooting at protesters in Jumla yesterday.

Meanwhile, agitators manhandled Rajendra Prasad Pandey, acting chief at Human Rights Commission Sub-regional Office and administration assistant Krishna Narayan Shrestha, who are in Jumla to meet the injured.