Local shot during Mahottari rape protest dies during treatment

SIRAHA: A person who was injured after police opened fire at the locals gathered to protest the rape and subsequent murder of a girl in Bardibas Municipality of Mahottari, died on Wednesday morning.

Buddhiraj Neupane (Sanjay) was injured after Police opened fire on irate locals, who were protesting against the rape, murder of a minor girl from Shuvam Basti of Mahottari in Bardibas on Tuesday. The body of the girl was found in a sack near the house last night.

Arun Kumar Sah, 25, of Gaushala Municipality admitted that he raped and killed the minor. He is in police custody while irate locals vandalised his house in Bardibas and set it ablaze.

Critically injured Neupane was airlifted via helicopter to Kathmandu-based Grande Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at 1:00 am the same night, informed Krishna Bahadur Katuwal, Chief District Officer, Mahottari. Meanwhile, another injured Shyam Karki is currentlytly receiving treatment.

With the death of Neupane, the area around Bardibas is tense. To manage and control further tension in the area, a meeting of security committee is being held in the district.

The meeting will discuss whether to enforce curfew or prohibitory order, informed CDO Katuwal.

The locals are accusing police of shooting the protesters in the name of crowd control.