Biratnagar, March 14

Activists of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF) today set fire to half-a-dozen government offices at Rangeli of Morang. In Rajbiraj, MJF activists padlocked 10 government offices.

MJF activists set fire to the Rangeli-based government offices after the local administration tried to open the offices that had been padlocked by the MJF. The torched offices include VDC office, Area administration office, post office and branch offices of the Nepal Bank, Agriculture Development Bank (ADB), Grameen Bikash Bank and Nepal Telecom.

The demonstrators also torched four motorcycles at the ADB branch office. Police fired in the air in Rangeli to bring the situation under control.

MJF activists embarked on demonstrations after the lock at the Nepal Electricity Authority branch office was opened at 11 am with local administration’s help. MJF district chairman

Rupesh Mandal and activists Pannalal Mandal and Shambhu Mandal were arrested,

inspector at the Rangeli area police office Bimal Basnet said. Protesting the arrests, the MJF activists forced the closure of the Rangeli bazaar.

In Biratnagar, MJF activists could not padlock government offices, including the Land Revenue Office (LRO), District Administration Office (DAO) and the Nepal Telecom branch office, because of tight security. Morang SP Gopal Bhandari said security arrangement in all government offices were tightened.

Officer at the Biratnagar Custom Office Janardan Acharya said work in custom points was carried out while cargo trucks left for their destinations from the points. Factories, bazaars and academic institutions opened today while vehicular movement has resumed.

In Rajbiraj, MJF activists padlocked 10 government offices including DAO, LRO, District Election Office, Nepal Electricity Authority and Nepal Telecom branch office. DDC office, Irrigation Office, Drinking Water Office and Municipality Office were also padlocked, MJF district chairman Shailendra Prasad Shah said.

In Sarlahi, police arrested some persons while they were trying to disrupt work at the Sarlahi Custom Office. SP at the District Police Office, Sarlahi, Ghanananda Bhatta said 40 MJF activists were arrested while trying to disrupt the main customs point at Malangawa municipality-8. They were released in the evening.

In Birgunj, MJF activists tried to halt work in government offices. Police broke open the locks at the LRO, Internal Revenue Office and Nepal Telecom.

The local administration deployed security forces at the Birgunj customs office. MJF activists disrupted the customs point at Sirsiya Bridge.