Itahari, May 13:

Agitating businessmen in Sunsari withdrew their protest programmes today after the local administration assured them of meeting their demands.

Alleging that the police administration aided the murderers, who killed businessman Kailash Chandra Agrawal and his wife Kanta Devi Agrawal, they had launched a protest on Monday. The couple was killed mysteriously on March 18.

They withdrew their agitation after the local administration agreed to make public the report of investigation into the murder case within 20 days and arrest the murderers. A meeting held between a team led by FNCCI president Kush Kumar Joshi and acting chief district officer of Sunsari Chiranjibi Adhikari took the decision.

According to Itahari FNCCI and joint agitation committee president Tanka Dulal, they would launch nationwide protest if the report would not be made public within 20 days.

Earlier, eight entrepreneurs led by Sunsari FNCCI president Ashok Tamrakar staged fast-unto-death demanding punishment for the murderers of Agrawal couple and the suspension of police personnel involved in the corruption case.

Meanwhile, police and businessmen clashed today, injuring eight businessmen. The agitating businessmen also vandalised the district administration office and gheraoed Adhikari for one-and-a-half hours.

Former FNCCI president Chandi Raj Dhakal and central president of Maoist-affiliated Nepal Rastriya Udyog Byapar Sangathan Krishna Acharya also expressed their solidarity with protesting businessmen.

In Morang, senior Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai met the slain couple’s son Prabin Agrawal at Biratnagar airport today and assured him of his party’s support in getting the murderers arrested.