Biratnagar, March 11:

Life in Morang district was affected on the sixth day today due to the indefinite general called by the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF).

Transport service and shops in Biratnagar were closed but most of the schools were open.

A report from Mahottari quoted MJF Mahottari secretary Abhiram Sharma as saying that police arrested MJF Mahottari chairperson Rabindra Thakur, district member Ram Narayan Raut, and two other cadres today for trying to lock out the District Development Committee by intervening the ongoing meeting of the District Education Office.

They were arrested when they tried to intervene in the meeting chaired by CDO Ratnaraj Pandey held in the presence of representatives of the eight political parties and the teachers’ unions.

In a joint statement, the eight parties in Mahottari protested against the general strike and said it has badly affected the educational institutions, government offices and transport and business sectors.

A report from Janakpur said businessmen and MJF cadres briefly clashed when the latter tried to forcefully close shops at Janak Chowk. Businessmen chased away the agitators after they vandalised TV sets in a shop belonging to Bijaya Shah. The MJF cadres padlocked the office of Janakpur Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

Earlier, the agitators vandalised Land Reform Office, Janakpur Cigarette Factory, Rastriya Banijya Bank, Nepal Bank Limited and Nepal Telecom offices.

In Kapilvastu, MJF cadres padlocked four government offices and two banks for indefinite period today.

Educational and business institutions in Taulihawa, Krishnanagar, Bahadurganj, Maharajgunj and Chandrauta areas have remained closed.

A report from Bara said, educational activities in Kalaiya halted today. Similarly, shops were also closed. Vehicles did not ply in Birgunj-Kalaiya road. Normal life in Bariyapur, Ganjbhawanipur, Simraungadh, Jeetpur, Parwanipur and Pasauni was affected due to the general strike.

MJF affiliated Madhesi Student Front staged rally in Kalaiya today.

A report from Rajbiraj said no private and public vehicle plied in Saptari but shops were open.

In Birgunj MJF cadres staged a rally. Markets and transport service were closed due to the general strike.

Curfew still in force in Banke

Nepalgunj: The Banke District Administration Office (DAO) extended curfew time in Khajura area on Sunday. Life here has been crippled due to continuous curfew since Friday. “The DAO has clamped a curfew from 10 am to 5 pm on Monday to maintain peace and stability in the district,” said Banke Chief District Officer (CDO) Narendra Raj Sharma.

Curfew has been imposed in the areas from Nandani Rice Mill located along Nepalgunj municipality border to Udhayapur VDC and around the road leading to the Dhanauli police post, CDO Sharma said. Curfew is in force in three VDCs - Indrapur, Khajura Khurda and Bageshwori. The situation here is limping back to normal, the administration claimed.

People, who were displaced following the clash on Friday, are returning home, it said. Curfew was clamped from 8 am to 6 pm on Sunday and 10 pm to 4 am on Monday. — HNS