Day-III bandh sees 39 activists held, freed

Rautahat, April 22:

Life in the Tarai was thrown out of gear today, the third and last day of the bandh called by the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF).

Academic institutions, shops and factories downed shutters, while vehicles stayed off the roads in most of the districts in the region.

Police arrested 39 persons, including MJF central member Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, from BP Chowk in Gaur municipality. They were demonstrating in defiance of the prohibitory orders issued in the area, Rautahat SP Yogeshwor Rumkhani said. The arrested were, however, released later in the evening.

Life in Rautahat came to a grinding halt today as well. No vehicles plied there, while business centres and academic institutions remained closed. Only a handful of vehicles plied on Mahendra Highway.

In Sarlahi, MJF activists staged a silent rally in Malangwa, the district headquarters. While Malnagwa bazaar was shut, the bandh did not affect normal life in Hariban, Nawalpur, Lalbandi and Karmaiya.

In Udaypur, long route vehicles stayed off the roads. Only a few vehicles plied in Gaighat, Beltar and Katari.

In Siraha, bazaars wore a deserted look as vehicles remained off the roads and shops downed shutters. MJF activists took out a rally from Imali chowk. It converged into a corner meeting addressed by different speakers including MJF district chairman Kishori Yadav. They said thier protests will go on until their demands are met.

In Bara district, Kalaiya, Parsaini, Jitpur, Parwanipur, among other bazaars, remained closed. Most of the factories in the Birgunj-Pathlaiya industrial corridor remained shut.

The bandh also affected life in Saptari, Morang, Sunsari, Nawalparasi, Parsa and Mahottari, among other districts.

MJF activists vandalised a motorbike in Biratnagar. They staged rallies in the morning and evening. However, there were no untoward incidents there, police said.