Rajbiraj, November 24

Following the death of three persons, including two agitators, in the police firing, tension ran high in Saptari for the past four days. Normalcy, however, returned from today in the district.

The agreement between the local leaders of United Democratic Madhesi Front, police and local administration in the presence of Civil Society and journalists brought back normalcy.

One person each was killed in Bhardaha and Rupani of Saptari when police opened fire to clear the highway obstructed by agitating UDMF cadres on Saturday night. Similarly, one commoner was killed at a demonstration in Rajbiraj.

Security forces deployed in Rajbiraj and the highway returned to their barracks after local UDMF leaders verbally agreed not to make their agitation violent and not to engage in vandalism and arson of government offices.

“The agitating UDMF has pledged to make its agitation peaceful,” said SP Bhim Dhakal at District Police Office, Saptari. SP Dhakal said they had recalled police personnel from the highway.

After the agitators abandoned the highway and market places, DAO lifted yesterday’s curfew at 3:00pm. However, the DAO’s declaration of the zone along the highway as riot-hit, which has been in place for the past three months, continues.

Concluding that there had been infiltration in their agitation, UDMF agreed with the DAO to withdraw its agitation. DAO too had inferred on Saturday that the UDMF’s agitation had been infiltrated.

Similarly, cadres of Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekta Party pelted stones and boulders at UDMF cadres, who were staging a sit-in at Fuljore of Sarlahi along the East-West Highway to block the road today.

Lawmaker Jangilal Yadav of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party said two cadres of the front were hurt in the incident.

Sarlahi police said APF Assistant Constable Lok Bahadur Basnet was injured in the incident.

After Chure Bhawar cadres pelted stones, UDMF cadres had fled to safer places. UDMF cadres set two motorbikes on fire in Dhalkebar of Dhanusha yesterday night. Both bikes were completely damaged.

The two-wheelers were ferrying diesel and petrol to Bardibas. Likewise, front cadres also set a motorbike ablaze for carrying diesel to Dhanusha’s Devdidaha yesterday night.

Likewise, police thrashed some UDMF cadres, including Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Dhanusha Vice-chairman Chandreswor Mahato and member Harinarayan Yadav when the latter were blocking the highway at Dhalkebar yesterday night.

The injured were treated at a clinic in Dhalkebar. Area Police Office Dhalkebar said agitators had pelted stones and damaged more than a dozen buses.

Likewise, UDMF cadres torched a motorbike in Mahottari today. Agitators seized the bike carrying 15 litres of petrol and one cylinder gas on the banks of Shreepur River, poured petrol on it and set it on fire.

All the schools that remained shut for the past three months due to the agitation in the plains reopened in the morning from today in Mahottari.