SARLAHI, OCTOBER 14

Angry cadres of Nepali Congress trying to file an FIR against the murderers of their party worker clashed with police in Sarlahi today.

Earlier on October 7, Mahendra Ram of ward 7 in Sisaut of Ramnagar Rural Municipality, Sarlahi, was seriously injured when he was attacked by a group of 10 to 12 persons led by Binod Das of the same village at about 6:30pm.

A seriously injured Ram died at Indo-Nepal Hospital in Birgunj the following morning in the course of treatment.

According to the victim’s side, police had spurned them by refusing to file an FIR against the murderers.

Citing police high-handedness, around 2,000 NC cadres led by Sarlahi Constituency No 4 PA member Amaresh Singh staged a protest rally in Malangawa.

As the rally that started from the local Jibisa Chowk headed towards the District Police Office and tried to break into the office premises, police used force, which then resulted in a clash.

After police resorted to baton-charge to control the protesters, NC cadres resorted to stone-pelting. Police fired 31 rounds of tear gas to bring the situation under control.

DSP Madan Kunwar said 16 security persons were injured in the clash. “We had to resort to firing tear gas as our personnel on duty inside the police building were injured due stones being pelting from outside,” said the SP, adding that windows of the building were smashed. Some 25 persons from the agitators’ side are also said to be injured.

Commenting on the incident, NC PA member Binod Singh accused the police of injuring his party cadres who were trying to file an FIR against the murderers.

“Instead of arresting the murderers, the police are protecting them, and when our cadres went to the police office to file an FIR, police used force and injured our cadres,” he alleged, demanding compensation and martyr’s status for the murdered person.

Meanwhile, talks are on between the Nepali Congress and police administration regarding the incident.