Biratnagar, March 26 :

Forty-eight police posts, shifted from the eastern Tarai after the agitation launched by the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF), will be re-established.

The police posts were merged with larger security units after the MJF intensified its agitation in Morang, Sunsari, Siraha and Saptari districts. The Eastern Regional Police Office (ERPO), considering the security situation in the region, is gearing up to re-establish the displaced police posts.

DIGP at the ERPO Rabindra Pratap Shah said the police posts will be re-established first in those places that are sensitive from the point of view of security. “There is a shortage of security personnel in some places,” Shah said, adding that the posts will be re-established by forming joint units.”

The ERPO said security from Mechi in the far-east to Bandipur of Siraha on the Nepal-India border will be beefed up. The ERPO is in a state of high alert in Biratnagar, Mirchaiya, Dhangadhi and Golbazaar of Siraha. “We have categorised Morang and Siraha as highly-sensitive districts while Saptari and Sunsari have been categorised as sensitive districts,” Shah said, adding, “If any untoward situation occurs, the police will exercise force.”

Apprehending the possibility of clashes between the Maoists and MJF cadres at Golbazaar, the local administration in Siraha imposed curfew in Golbazaar on Saturday. On Friday, the government had directed local administrations to adopt high security alert to prevent any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, the Regional Administration Office (Dhankuta) has directed five districts in the Tarai to issue prohibitory orders and 11 districts to be on high alert.

However, defying prohibitory orders, MJF cadres are staging protests in Biratnagar. Offices padlocked by MJF cadres in Biratnagar have not been unlocked yet. “A meeting of the eight parties was held to unlock offices in Rangeli yesterday,” Morang police superintendent Gopal Bhandari said, adding that the offices will be unlocked soon.