Biratnagar, February 25:

Locals of Pathari in Morang district this morning torched a passenger bus and vandalised a microbus on Mahendra Highway after a local youth who was injured in a clash with Bhutanese refugees of Sanischare camp died while undergoing treatment in Dharan last night.

Demonstrators at Pathari torched the passenger bus (Me 1 Kha 864) bound for Biratnagar from Kakarvitta of Jhapa and vandalised a microbus (Me 1 Kha 4993).

“The situation in Pathari is tense. Police also failed to reach the site,” said Morang SP Gopal Bhandari.

Locals also forced closure of the Pathari bazaar to protest against the death of Hari Tamang, 20, of Pathari, said inspector Rup Kumar Neupane at the Urlabari area police office (APO).

Tamang, who was injured in a clash with the refugees, was rushed to the Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences for treatment on Friday night. However, locals said he died due to police torture. “Locals blocked the road section from Urlabari to Mangalbare by placing felled trees at several places,” a local Raju Shrestha said.