Janakpurdham, December 18:

Mangal Maharjan, senior head constable of the Armed Police Force, was shot dead at Mahabir Chowk in Janakpur Municipality this evening.

An armed group shot Maharjan when he was on a motorbike heading to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav’s ancestral home in Sapahi, Dhanusha, from Saptari’s Chhinnamasta APF Battalion.

His body was brought to Janakpur zonal hospital for post-mortem. Janatantrik Mukti Morcha-Rajan faction, which was behind the killing of an official of inland revenue department in Janakpur, has owned up the murder of the APF head constable. The police have intensified search for the culprits.

Meanwhile, the locals of Mahottari Bardibas shut down the bazaar, citing insecurity. They accused the local administration of doing little to arrest the spate of criminal activities in the region.

The locals protested against the police for failing to keep their word of securing the release of a teacher, DS Pakhrin, who was abducted on Tuesday. He was employed at Buddha English Boarding School.

Work in the government offices of Mahottari were halted today due to the protest against the murder of Janakpur civil servant Kumar Niraula. The JTMM-Rajan faction shot dead Niraula in Janakpur on December 15.