SURKHET: Normal life in eight districts of Bheri and Karnali zones was badly hit due to the two-day bandh called by the Unified CPN- Maoist on Saturday. The agitators, on the charge of defying the bandh vandalised a truck at Mangalgadhi in Surkhet in the morning.

Vehicles stayed off the roads while markets wore a deserted look in the districts Jajarkot, Surkhet, Dailekh, Humla, Jumla, Mugu, Kalikot and Dolpa in Bheri and Karnali zones. The Maoists called the bandh protesting an accident in which one of its cadres was killed when a bus hit him two days ago.

Rishi Gautam aka Rahul who was UCPN-M Bheri-Karnali State Secretariat member was critically injured when a bus hit him in Surkhet Bus Park on Thursday. Injured Gautam who was admitted in the Lalitpur based B & B Hospital succumbed to his injuries during the course of the treatment the same day. The UCPN-M have been raising allegations of a conspiracy hatched behind Gautam's death.

The Maoists have demanded the arrest of the culprit, declaration of the deceased as a martyr and compensation to family of the victims.