SIRAHA: The Medicine Entrepreneurs' Union (MEU) in the Sagarmatha zone has shut down all medicine shops protesting the arrest of one of the entrepreneurs "without reason". Police had arrested Ramchandra Mahato, proprietor, Shivaram Medical, of Sukhipur in Siraha, for allegedly selling corex, an addictive drug. However, the Sukhipur police had clarified that no such illegal medicine was found in the shop. Shivanath Singh, chairman of the MEU, said the shops were closed from 6 am to 1 pm in the afternoon on Tuesday.

He warned that the shops would be closed for an indefinite period from Wednesday if Mahato was not released. DSP Ramesh Bhattarai said Mahato was arrested on the basis of the statement given by 35-year old Suraj Mahato, who was arrested for illegally bringing in 112 bottles of corex from Daraiya along the border with India.