RAUTAHAT, SEPTEMBER 19

Sarlahi District Administration Office has imposed curfew in district headquarters Malangawa for 18 hours starting from 01:30pm today. The curfew will remain in place till 08:00am tomorrow.

The DAO clamped the curfew after a clash broke out between people of two communities over immersion of an idol of Biswokarma. People from Hindu and Muslim communities had clashed in connection with immersion of the idol.

The curfew was imposed to prevent possible violence, said DAO.

CDO Surendra Poudel said the DAO issued the curfew order and asked people to stay indoors. Twelve people were injured when people of the Muslim community obstructed Hindus from taking their idol for immersion to a local water body in Malangawa, on Thursday. This had resulted in a clash. Those injured have returned home after treatment.

As people from both communities started gathering on the street this morning, the DAO clamped the curfew to maintain law and order and stop untoward incidents.

A large number of police personnel have been deployed to prevent untoward incidents. Following the incident, the Biswokarma idol has been kept at the District Police Office.

A discussion was held between the two sides at the DPO to resolve the problem, but there was no agreement. CDO Poudel has warned people not to defy the curfew.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 20, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.