Rautahat, September 4

Agitating parties in Rautahat have demanded removal of all police units from the district.Accusing the police administration of using excessive force on peaceful demonstrators, the Unified Democratic Madhesi Front and National Muslim Struggle Alliance have served a 48-hour ultimatum to vacate the police units.

“It’s unfortunate that the government is using police force to stifle people’s voices despite the fact that the country’s constitution has guaranteed us the right to protest. So, we have served an ultimatum to the police to vacate their units. We have also decided to socially boycott policemen,” read a statement issued by the two agitating forces.

The statement has also said that it would not be responsible for the consequences, if the police posts aren’t removed. Earlier, the Madhesi Front in Bara two days ago had issued a similar dictat, asking the locals there to evict the police units operating from rented houses and the local shops not to sell them anything . A number of police units in Kalaiya have already been removed in line with the ultimatum.

In Rautahat, Madheshi Front leaders and cadres staged a rally in the riot-hit area of Gaur today.Meanwhile, locals and civil society of Bairganiya, India, across the border, too held a peace rally today, expressing solidarity with the ongoing agitation.

According to Bairganiya Town Committee member Umeshchandra Jayasawal, the bazaar will be shut tomorrow in a show of support to the agitating parties in the Terai.