Itahari, May 10:

Locals shut Bhutaha bazaar of Sunsari district today alleging that police failed to take action against those involved in the killing of Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum cadre Ganga Das.

Some 600 locals, saying that the police administration was reduced to a mere spectator, gheraoed Bhutaha police post for two hours and

closed the market till 3 pm, a member of struggle committee, Gannu Mukhiya, said.

Mukhiya said the agitators also staged demonstrations by burning tyres in Inaruwa, Ramnagar and Bhutaha. However, the bazaar reopened after SP Yadavraj Khanal called on representatives of the agitators for talks tomorrow, a local, Tabil Ansari, said.

Following the murder, the family of Das had filed an FIR claiming that Nepali Congress local leaders Gaftar Ansari, Tahir Ansari, Salin, Salim, Saroj, Dabud, Uttin and Alauddin Ansari were involved in the killing on the CA election day.

“The police administration can arrest them if it wants. But they are roaming freely,” Mukhiya said, claiming, “Police have not detained them citing the order from ‘higher authorities’ not to arrest them.”

The agitators have threatened to launch a stringent agitation if conclusion was not reached during tomorrow’s talks.