KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 3

While communal riots have increased across Nepal, local authorities and district administration offices have started using curfews as effective tool to control conflicts.

Particularly since the last few months tensions among different religious groups have increased dramatically, giving a tough time to securities personnel. It all started with the Dharan incident, it was on the brink of communal confrontation in August. However, the District Administration Office, Sunsari, imposed a prohibitory order to prevent violent activities.

Religious intolerance rose in Dharan sub-metropolis after a video of people consuming beef spread rapidly on different social media platforms. Following the videos, Hindu radicals had invited a large number of people across Koshi Province to participate in the 'Protect Cow' rally.

In the meantime, security deployed around the metropolis stopped people and no casualties were reported.

Similarly, in Malangwa, Sarlahi, a curfew was imposed for a long time until normalcy returned.Finally, the denizens of Malangwa are leading normal life after a week. Prohibitory order was imposed in Malangwa following a clash between Muslim and Hindu communities during the immersion of Lord Ganesha Idol on the occasion of Ganesha Chaturthi. Around a dozen people were injured and a twenty-four-year old Rupesh Yadav resident of Musaili Malangwa-7 was brutally stabbed multiple times with a dagger.

According to his friend, he was attacked by a man from the Muslim community. Yadav is currently undergoing treatment in Nepal Mediciti Vayodha Hospital, Birgunj.

Following the news of Malangwa, Hindus in Birgunj Metropolitan City protested and tried shutting down the markets and shops, however, local authorities intervened and stopped such activities.

Later, Birgunj metropolis organised an amity rally to avoid any untoward incident. Mayor of Birgunj metropolis Rajesh Man Singh reached the DAO and submitted a memorandum to the acting CDO Shiva Prasad Lamsal. 'Birgunj people are living in harmony and I have a strong belief that nothing wrong will take place here,' said Mayor Singh. 'External incidents are not going to disturb the peace in my place, we won't let it happen.'

On the other hand, it hasn't been even a week since these disheartening incidents took place, and an indefinite curfew has been imposed in Nepalgunj. The District Administration Office, Banke issued a curfew order in Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City and nearby areas. The curfew is effective from 1:00pm today.

Prohibitory order was issued to avoid possible risk to safety of the general people and to stop the occurrence of vandalism and stone pelting, according to CDO Bipin Acharya.The prohibitory order was to be effective within areas from Rapti River Bridge in the east, the road leading to Indrapur of Khajura in the west, Ranjha chowk in the north and Jamunaha check point in the South of Banke district.

No one is allowed to organise any gathering or rally and people's movement has been restricted in these areas, added Acharya. The local administration has informed that action will be taken as per the law if the order is violated.

Issuing a notice yesterday, DAO, Banke, had urged not to conduct any activities that hurt religious sentiments and not to blame each other on social sites. However, different organisations, including the Omkar Family and Hindu Society had organised goodwill rally in Nepalgunj, this morning.

A version of this article appears in the print on October 4, 2023, of The Himalayan Times