Biratnagar, February 4 :

A policeman deployed for the security of Home Minister Kamal Thapa opened fired at Amrit Aryal, president of the Nepali Congress’s Morang district unit, at Sansarimai in Biratnagar today.

Aryal was driving a motorbike (Ko 3 Pa 6300) when he was shot at. The bullet, however, missed him. Kamaksha Parajuli, president of NC municipal committee, was riding pillion on the motorcycle.

Aryal was scheduled to participate in a protest rally organised by the women’s unions affiliated to the eight political parties in Biratnagar this afternoon. A team of policemen, including the inspector Govinda Bahadur Basnet of the District Police Office, Morang, had been allegedly following him from the local traffic chowk to Sansarimai.

Aryal alleged the cops had planned the firing. “The first shot missed me and the police was preparing to fire another round when a rickshaw blocked the way,” he said. Sharad Chand, SP at the District Police Office, denied Aryal’s charges. SP said Aryal had no reason to try to evade the security forces. The NC, Morang, has condemned the incident.