Itahari, May 10:

Business entrepreneurs in Sunsari announced fresh protests from Monday against the delay in the probe into the murder of a couple on March 18.

They also said police administration was trying to protect the criminals by getting a handsome amount as bribe.

A meeting of the presidents and members of the Sunsari Chambers of Commerce and Industries, Itahari Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Inaruwa Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Khanar Chamber of Commerce and Industries held in Itahari today decided to launch the protest.

President of the Joint Struggle Committee Tanka Dulal said they were forced to announce agitation after the police administration’s procrastination to nab and punish the criminals.

The businessmen demanded punishment for and transfer of eastern regional DIGP Rabindra Pratap Shaha, Sunsari SP Yadav Raj Khanal and police inspector at Itahari area police office Bishwomani Pokhrel.

They also demanded guarantee of security of industrial sector and businessmen. According to Dulal, they will padlock the Sunsari district administration office for an indefinite period and hold a sit-in in front of it on Monday.

In the next phase of protests, entire eastern region would be closed if the demands were ignored, said Giridhari Sapkota, secretary of the Sunsari Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

“We were compelled to announce strong protests after we got the clue that the police have accepted bribe from the criminals to go slow.”

Sapkota said all high-level police personnel in the region were invited in the meeting but they did not come. “We suspect involvement of police in the murder case,” president of the Sunsari Chambers of Commerce and Industries Ashok Tamrakar said.

The businessmen said they had not made public the report on finger prints obtained from the crime scene.

The son of the murdered couple, Prabin (18), accused the police of taking cash from the murderers and letting them move freely. “I was often threatened by Itahari’s police inspector over the telephone,” he added.

Meanwhile, Itahari Area Police Office said probe into the case was underway.

Businessman Kailashchandra and his wife Kantadevi were found dead in the storeroom of a hardware shop they owned in Itahari-1 on March 18.