Itahari, January 14:

Relatives of a man who was killed in an accident at Inaruwa on December 18, vandalised the Sunsari district court this evening for issuing a verdict against their wishes.

A single bench of judge Madhav Prasad Pokharel had issued the verdict ordering releasing Hem Narayan Urao, driver of the bus which knocked down Ram Lal Poddhar of Inaruwa, after imposing a fine of Rs 90,000.

Poddhar’s relatives and civil society members, who were staging a sit-in in front of the court’s main gates from 10:00 am today started vandalising the court office from 6:00 pm. They also shouted slogans against judge Pokharel and broke furniture.

The police controlled the situation about half an hour later, said SP in Yadav Raj Khanal.

“We had demanded action against Urao for murder but the court released him after imposing on him a fine of Rs 90,000 only,” said late Ram Lal’s nephew Santosh Dev. Irate kin have called strike from tomorrow, he said.

Lila Gautam, a judge in the Sunsari court, confirmed the incident and said this was a simple incident and had happened during a transitional period.