Damauli, September 13

The death toll of demonstrators, who clashed with police, against the murder of 16-year-old Purna Bahadur Ale has reached two in Damauli of Tanahun till today.

Suni Maya Shrestha, 78, of Jamune VDC-8 died while undergoing treatment at Pokhara-based Manipal Teaching Hospital today. The deceased sustained critical injuries when police lobbed tear gas shells at her on Wednesday.

Security personnel had to fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd on Wednesday. Earlier, Roshan Dura, 18, of Byas-1was killed when police fired at demonstrators in Damauli on Friday. Ale’s body was found hanging from a tree on the premises of Adikavi Bhanubhakta Campus last Monday.

Damauli bazaar remained tense for the sixth consecutive day-to-day.

As many as 20 demonstrators and 10 police personnel, including Inspector Bhoj Raj Pandey and four APF personnel were injuries in the clash today. All the injured are receiving treatment at Damauli-based health facilities.

The bazaar remained closed throughout the day with clashes in a number of places between police and demonstrators.

The agitators burnt tyres at the main chowks from early morning and obstructed vehicular movement. Hundreds of passengers plying on Prithvi Highway were stranded due to the shutdown.

The demonstrators vandalised more than two dozen vehicles, said district police office. They vandalised an ambulance belonging to National Apollo Hospital and a parked private car.

Irate agitators vandalised Dahal Health Care Centre operated by Damauli Hospital doctor Ram Hari Dahal, accusing him of being prejudiced while preparing Ale’s post-mortem report. Dahal, on the other hand, said he did not prepare the report.

Zonal Police Office Pokhara SSP Balaram Sharma Poudel said security personnel arrested as many as 42 persons on the charge of being involved in indecent activities. All the arrested have been detained at district police office and investigation into their activities is on. With their arrest, vehicular movement resumed from the evening.

Meanwhile, Damauli bazaar folks came up with an agitation accusing police personnel of manhandling Lalu Maya Gurung, operator of Machhapuchchhre Hotel in the bazaar. She was beaten black and blue after police barged into her hotel, said locals. Traders chanted slogans against police suppression and paraded around the bazaar.

Former chairman of Tanahun Chambers of Commerce Mangal Prasad Shrestha demanded action against guilty police personnel.

Earlier, an all party meeting held yesterday agreed to conduct a probe investigation into Ale’s death, Dura’s killing in police firing and demanded proper reparation for family of Dura and sought martyr’s status for him.

Meanwhile, Chief District Officer Mahadev Panth urged the agitators to stop their ongoing protest as per the understanding they had reached yesterday.