Rautahat/Janakpur, April 24 :

A sick person died today after being stuck on the highway in Rautahat due to the general strike called by the Chure Bhawar Ekta Samaj (CBES).

The unidentified patient was referred by the Patan Hospital in Lalitpur today to be taken to India for treatment. He was on the way to Darjeeling in a private vehicle that could not go ahead from Bagmati Bridge of Paurahi VDC on the Mahendra highway due to the strike, the Chandranigahapur-based Area Police Office said.

The person died as he could not be taken to the hospital on time, inspector Nareshraj Subedi said.

The CBES activists today vandalised and torched 18 vehicles, including the ones used by Red Cross workers. They also torched two vehicles at Paurahi VDC in Rautahat. They torched a bus (Na 2 Kha 1197) that was heading to Dharan from Kathmandu at Mangalpur of Paurahi VDC at 5 am. They set an India jeep (BR 55-1209) on fire at the Bagmati Bridge, APO at Chandranigahapur said.

Hundreds of passengers traveling in 25 buses have been stranded in Chandranigahapur.

A report from Janakpur said CBES cadres at Bhiman of Bandipur vandalised and torched three vehicles (Me1 Kha 964, Ko 1 Kha 1751 and Ba 2 Cha 6004) used by Red Cross workers last night. A total of 50 Red Cross workers were on their way to Nepalgunj to attend a convention scheduled to start on April 26. Ten Red Cross workers were injured.

A report from Sarlahi said the CBES cadres torched two vehicles and vandal-ised 10 others at Hariaun. Hundreds of passengers are stranded at Karmaiya. The effect of strike was felt in Malangwa and northern parts of Bara as well.