Janakpur blast sparks protest

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

JANAKPURDHAM: Mithila State Struggle Committee today staged an indefinite Janakpurdham bandh in protest against Monday’s bomb blast at Janakpur’s Ramananda Chowk.

Four persons were killed and 28 injured when a bomb went off at sit-in organised by the Mithila State Struggle Committee.

Protest rallies were held throughout the day to protest deadly explosion in Janakpur. Demonstration by the students started from Ramananda Chowk made round of Hospital Road and burned the effigies of prime minister and home minister in front of Zonal Hospital for their failure to maintain law and order.

Normalcy is yet to return in Janakpur vicinity following the blast. The Mithila Struggle Committee has called indefinite strike putting forth five-point demand. The demands include declaration of martyrs to those killed, free treatment to the injured, action against the guilty, constitutional guarantee of Mithila state among others.

Hundreds of thousands of Janakpur residents took out rally along with dead bodies around Janakpur municipality. The demonstrators had staged sit-in in front of District Administration Office.

Family members and protestors had taken the dead bodies for cremation after DAO agreed in writing to declare martyrs of those killed and provide Rs 1 million to each of the bereaved families and free treatment to the injured on behalf of Home Ministry. Dhanusha CDO Basantaraj Gautam said that they had reached agreement with struggle committee on the basis of Home Ministry’s written agreement. The dead bodies of four were cremated today evening.

Nepali Congress leaders Sher Bahadur Deuba, Bimalendra Nidhi had arrived to pay last tribute to the deceased. Dhanusha SP Purushottam Kandel claimed that perpetrators had exploded the bomb with help of commercial explosives.

“Explosives used to blast huge cliffs were used in Monday’s bombings,” Kandel added. He said that the Home Ministry formed three-member team headed by DSP Bhupendra Khatri to carry out investigation.

Kandel admitted that change of statements by the arrested Jayaprakash Sah and Jayaprakash Dev had made the investigation difficult.

Bimalsharan Das, Jhagaru Das, Ranju Jha and Suresh Upadhyay killed in the explosion were bread earners of their families.

Massive protests were also held in Rajbiraj to protest Monday’s explosion. The protestors had burned the effigies of Rajan Mukti, coordinator of Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha, and Home Minister Bijay Kumar Gachhadar.

Maithali Federation Nepal’s chairman Bishnu Kumar Mandal vowed that martyrs’ sacrifice would not go in vain.

He demanded that government punish the perpetrators soon.