RAUTAHAT: Police and locals of Rajpur Municipality in Rautahat district clashed on Thursday night after police raided the houses of three locals including that of suspended Nepali Congress lawmaker Mohammed Aftab Alam.

Acting on a tip, a team of police personnel raided the three houses intending to arrest Alam’s brother, Mohammed Mahatab Alam, who also has been accused as being an accomplice to Aftab Alam in the Rajpur bomb blast case. Police had received a classified information that Mahatab had returned home to observe Ramadan.

However, family members of Alam and locals resisted the police as they launched the search operation and in turn attempted to attack the police personnel, informed Superintendent of Police (SP) Rabindra Raj Khadka at the District Police Office, Rautahat. Police were then forced to blank fire 12-rounds in the air, in self-defense, to disperse the crowd, claimed SP Khadka.

The police, however, were not able to locate Mahatab during the raid, informed SP Khadka. "We will continue the search," he added.

Mohammed Mahatab Alam, among others, have been accused of their involvement in the Rajpur bomb blast and have been listed as most wanted by law enforcement agencies.

Mayor of Rajpur Municipality, Sheikh Shakil Akhtar, has denounced the raid claiming that it was done in a "dacoit style" and made a joke of rule of law. According to Mayor Akhtar, police raiding houses during religious occasions was not in line with the legal procedure and demanded action against police personnel involved in the raid.

He also threatened that the locals will start a step-wise struggle.

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