Birgunj shutdown enters second day
BIRGUNJ: Normal life in Birgunj was badly crippled on the second consecutive day today due to the indefinite general strike called by Birgunj Transport Association (BTA).
The transport entrepreneurs, following the murder of Rajeshwor Dube — cashier of Pashupati Transport — resorted to the extreme measures demanding their security. Dube was shot dead by a criminal gang at his office in broad daylight on Wednesday.
Demanding compensation to the victim’s kin, security of transport entrepreneurs and immediate arrest and stringent action against criminals were the main demands put forward by the agitating transport workers.
Due to the bandh call, the marketplaces of the commercial hub remained shut while the vehicular movement along the local roads was reduced to a trickle today. The agitators blocked the road by placing vehicles across the road in front of Birgunj Customs Office since this morning. The office was also closed.
“Until the criminals are brought to book and family of the deceased is compensated, Birgunj will remain closed,” said Harendra Prasad Shah, president, BTA.
Meanwhile, a joint meeting
of the local journalists, industrialists and political party representatives formed a “crime
retaliation committee” yesterday. “We decided to set up such body as the security body remained incompetent to give us security,” Shah said.
Yesterday, Parsa CDO Yadav Koirala vowed to improve the security situation in Birgunj within a month. District Police Office Parsa said it could not intensify the patrol in the city due to lack of vehicles.
Abduction foiled
SARLAHI: An attempt to abduct a trader was foiled following a collective retaliation of local residents of Tribhuvannagar VDC on Friday night.
Umashankar Prasad Gupta, 30, a resident of Ward No 2 in the VDC, was freed from the grip of a gang of 10 to 12 persons by the locals, said Shashibhushan Singh. When the abductors noticed the arrival of the police and locals, they fled.
