Birgunj, September 15

United Democratic Madhesi Front today resorted to vandalism and arson with its cadres torching various industries in Bara.

After Parsa DAO declared Birgunj riot-hit area, hundreds of cadres affiliated to UDMF took out a motorcycle rally at Gandak Chowk outside Birgunj municipal area. The agitators riding motorcycles headed for Jitpur and forced open the godown of Saurav Enterprises located on the roadside at Lipalimal of Bara and vandalised the store.

Binod Gupta, manager at Saurav Enterprises, said agitators vandalised more than half a dozen trucks parked on the premises of the godown and set them ablaze. The front’s activists torched a truck belonging to Nimbus Group at Lipalimal area.

Police and a fire engine from Birgunj Municipality brought the fire under control averting massive damage.

The agitators also vandalised a container of Nimbus Group loaded with pulse. They damaged the container’s windows and spilled the pulse all over the floor. The demonstrators damaged the windows of seven trucks parked on the premises of Nimbus Group. After the incident, security has been tightened along the Birgunj-Parwanipur road section.

After the Local Security Committee imposed curfew and declared the urban areas riot-hit, UDMF cadres have been staging demonstration outside the city.

The indefinite general strike enforced by the UDMF has thrown life out of gear in the plains for the past one month.

Meanwhile, Area Police Office Simara, Bara, today arrested Tarai Madhes Democratic Party General Secretary Jitendra Sonal and Bara district Chairman Nabkishor Singh.

Inspector Purusottam Khadka said police had held Sonal and Singh for their alleged involvement in vandalism and arson at Saurav Enterprises. They were arrested from Nitanpur of Bara.

Front cadres stage protest

RAUTAHAT: United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) cadres on Tuesday  staged a rally wearing black masks on their mouths in riot-hit Gaur  Municipality. Hundreds of masked protesters hit the street to protest  the arrest of five leaders aligned with the UDMF with the slogan “Fill  the jail Campaign against State oppression”. Twenty days ago, Rautahat  DAO had declared all the wards of Gaur Municipality  and the 42-km road section on the East-West highway riot-hit.  UDMF Rautahat  Coordinator Babulal Sah said the demonstration was to  protest the arrest of five UDMF leaders from the house of former  president of Rautahat DDC in Gaur yesterday. He warned of stern  protest if the rights of Madhesis were not  guaranteed in the new statute.