Gaighat, January 24:

Normal life was affected in Udaypur today due to a “Kirant region” bandh called by the Kirant Workers’ Party (KWP).

The organisation had called the bandh of Khumbuwan and Limbuwan areas under “Kirant region” in an appeal yesterday to press the government to meet their demands, which include amendment to the Interim Constitution, implementation of proportional election system and a guarantee of a “separate Kirant republic”.

The shops, academic institutions and factories in Gaighat, Beltar and Rampur bazaars of Udaypur remained closed while both short and long route vehicles remained off the road.

Last night, the armed activists of KWP had staged torch rallies in Gaighat, Beltar and Rampur areas. The bandh affected normal life in Dhankuta, too. Only few vehicles were seen plying on the Dharan-Dhankuta road section of the Koshi highway while vehicles going to Hile, Basantapur, Leguwa, Thalthale and Rajarani from Dharan via Dhankuta remained off the road today.

Vehicular movement came to a halt completely due to a daylong transport and academic strike called by KWP in Panchthar.

Vehicles to and from district headquarters Phidim remained off the road. Similarly, Itahari, Inarua, Jhumka, Duhabi and Dharan of Sunsari district were also affected due to the bandh. Bandh’s effects were also seen in Biratnagar, Urlabari and Pathari of Morang and also in Ilam. The KWP activists had set off bombs in Itahari and Dharan on the eve of bandh last night.