Biratnagar, October 6:

Life is limping back to normal in Biratnagar sub-metropolis, which witnessed violence and curfew yesterday.

Keeping this situation in mind, the Morang District Administration Office (DAO) today clamped curfew between the Bhrikuti Chowk and Jana Andolan Chowk.

The curfew will remain in force from 6 pm to 6 am. The DAO had lifted curfew from 4 pm to 6 pm. It had imposed curfew in all 22 wards of Biratnagar sub-metropolis from 10 pm yesterday.

Under the initiative of CDO Madhavraj Regmi, SP Yogendra Katuwal and journalists, stones and tires placed by the agitators on the roads were removed. Curfew was imposed in the sub-metropolis after cadres of the Kishor Biswas-led Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF-B) attacked police last night.

Five policemen, including inspector Mahendra Thapa, were injured when the MJF-B cadres pelted the police personnel with stones, SP Katuwal said.

Police personnel resorted to baton-charge after cadres of the MJF-B affiliated Madhesi Women Forum (MWF) and Madhesi Students’ Front (MSF) hurled five petrol bombs at them at Mahabir Chowk. As the situation did not come under control, the police fired 21 rounds of teargas shells, the Morang District Police Office (DPO) said.

The agitators vandalised a vehicle belonging to the Morang DPO, Katuwal said.

The curfew was imposed to maintain communal harmony as the agitators began hurling stones at the houses of Pahadi people, CDO Regmi said, adding that security has been beefed up in Biratnagar.

The imposition of the curfew has caused the closure of some 500 industries in Morang and Sunsari districts.