Police firing leaves 3 dead in Malangawa, 21 injured in BirgunjPolice firing leaves 3 dead in Malangawa, 21 injured in Birgunj
Kantipur Report
KATHMANDU, Feb 4 - At least three protesters were killed on Sunday in the police firing in Malangawa, Sarlahi.The police opened fire at the protesters as they tried to take to the streets defying the curfew order.
Following yesterday's tensions in Malangawa and surrounding villages – Gamhadiya and Musaili – the local administration today had issued a curfew order so as to curb any untoward situation.
According to security sources, a protester died on the spot at Siva Sagar Chowk while another one died at the helipad when he was about to be boarded in a chopper. The third protester died on the way to hospital in Kathmandu.
According to the district hospital here, the deceased have been identified as Asik Ali Mikrani of Malangawa Municipality-4 and Ram Narayan Sah of Salempur VDC-3.
At least 16 others have been reported to be injured during the firing, however, the exact number of injured is yet known.
Four of the injured have been flown in to the capital in a chopper for further treatment.
Condition of two is critical, said sources.
Someone from the protesters' side opened fire at the police first as the police tried to control the mob that had gone berserk, said SP Madhav Joshi.
The agitated mob then stormed the district irrigation office and vandalized vehicles parked at the office. The mob also vandalized some private houses.
The injured police personnel are undergoing treatment at the local hospital and some have been taken to a hospital at Sitamadhi, Bihar in India, said Chief District Officer, Sarlahi, Bhanubhakta Pokhrel.
Meanwhile, the District Administration Office Sarlahi gave continuity to the curfew order that was earlier effective till 8 pm today.
CDO Pokhrel said an indefinite curfew order has been issued in Malangawa Municipality and adjoined VDCs — Gamhadiya and Musaili.
Similarly, in Birgunj at least 21 protesters were injured this afternoon when police opened fire to disperse protesters advancing towards the District Administration Office (DAO) there. Condition of five of the injured is critical.
Earlier today, the district administration Birgunj had called off the 8am to 8pm curfew in Birgunj prematurely after thousands of participants of a mass meeting at Bahurwabhata, some seven km west of Birgunj, began marching towards the district headquarters.
The meet was announced by the Madheshi People's Rights Forum.
Prior to the shootout, the protesters had vandalized the statue of martyr Thir Bam Malla at Ghantaghar in downtown Birgunj at around 3:30.
Soon after, the protesters headed towards the DAO office.
According to security sources, the curfew was called off after it was felt that the security personnel in the area were inadequate to handle the large number of people converging towards the city center and since opening fire at such a large crowd would only serve to increase casualty rate.
Yesterday, a protester of Madheshi People's Rights Forum (MPRF), namely Dipendra Sahin Parsa 40, of Madhuwan Mathwal VDC-9 was killed and 20 others were injured during clashes with police in Birgunj.
Four of the seriously injured were airlifted to Kathmandu by an army chopper and admitted to the Bir Hospital for treatment, according to the Nepal Army Directorate of Public Relations.
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