Gaindakot, February 18:

Irate locals blocked the Mahendra highway this afternoon to protest the killing of a child by a vehicle yesterday.

The villagers blocked the traffic demanding compensation for the victims’ family and punishment against driver Kamal Basnet. Seven-year-old Binis Ghimire was killed after being hit by a passenger bus (Na 2 Kha 9911) at Gaindakot.

The locals had obstructed the highway yesterday. They had allowed the movement of traffic after many passengers and vehicles remained stranded on the road. But locals burnt tyres on the road and blocked the traffic again this afternoon. Women organised a sit-in on the road while local youths burnt tyres on six-kilometre stretch of the highway.

The vehicles bound for west from Narayangarh have been stranded at Pulchock while vehicles coming to Narayangarh have been stopped by the RNA at Bhedabari.

Chief District Officer Niranjan Baral said the administration will not intervene in the locals’ protest programme.