Normalcy restored, prohibitory order still stands
Nepalgunj, December 9
Normalcy has been restored in Kohalpur of Banke, where tension had flared up following an accident yesterday.
Yesterday, a 11-year-old schoolgirl Prakriti Chand of Tribhuvan Namuna Secondary School was critically injured after a truck knocked her down in front of her school in Kohalpur-10 in the morning.
The incident had sparked a demonstration during which irate locals torched the vehicle involved in the accident. There were also clashes with police that injured over three dozen persons, including both demonstrators and security personnel.
Amidst the tense situation, the local administration in Kohalpur had stepped up security and issued a prohibitory-zone declaration in Kohalpur area from 3:00pm yesterday. The prohibitory order stands still. With the tension subsiding, vehicles have begun plying and life has become normal.
Schools, however, remained closed owing to a decision of Kohalpur Private School Association Banke, PABSON Banke and N-PABSON Banke.
The victim of the incident has lost both of her legs and is now undergoing treatment at Lalitpur-based B&B Hospital.
In the wake of the accident, while an all-party meeting appealed for restraint saying the accident-related issue should be resolved through dialogue, a harmony rally was taken out here at the initiative of Kohalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The rally had the participation of Chief District Officer Kumar Bahadur Khadka and chiefs of security agencies of the district and local bodies, among others.
On their part, local youths carried out a clean-up campaign to remove the mess, such as brickbats, stones and shards of vehicle windows, caused by the vandalism and demonstration yesterday. A clean-up drive was carried out in front of the school, the Kohalpur-based police office and New Road area.
Regarding the violence yesterday, student unions have blamed the same on infiltration of elements with wrong intention, and sought a fair investigation and action against the culprits.
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