Three die in Saptari protest; UML’s campaign postponed for three days

Saptari / Mar 6: Three cadres of the Madhesi front have died in the firing police opened on the protest the front cadres organized to foil the mass gathering of the CPN-UML at the industrial area of Rajbiraj.

Those losing life in the protest are- Sanjan Mehata, 23, from Maleth-2, Pitambar Lal Mandal, 50, from Maleth-4 and Anand Saha, 34, from Prawani VDC.

Mehata died on the spot, another one died while undergoing treatment at the hospital while the third person breathed his last on the way to hospital, said police.

Central secretary of the Rastriya Madhes Samajbadi Party, Gajendra Mandal, said seven others injured in police firing are undergoing treatment at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan. He added that three of them received injury on stomach. Digambar Yadav, Dilip Yadav, Surendra Mandal, Pramod Mandal, Jitendra Saha, Indra Narayan Saha and Birendra Mahatao were injured seriously.

Other two dozens of cadres receiving injury with baton charged by police have been undergoing treatment at Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital.

Police used force to control the agitated cadres of the front who were targeting to foil the UML’s gathering.

“To tame the mob and assure security at the UML’s gathering area, the police persons resorted to firing,” said Chief District Officer of Saptari, Uddhav Timalsina.

Meanwhile, the front accused the UML cadres of assailing on the security persons. After the situation turned violent, the police escorted the UML leaders to safe places.

Meanwhile, the front cadres set on fire some vehicles against the Saptari incident in the evening.

UML holds mass gathering amid Madhesi Front’s protest in Saptari

Meanwhile, the major opposition CPN-UML has organized a massive gathering under its Mechi-Mahakali campaign at Gajendra Narayan Singh industrial area despite the protests waged by the federal democratic Madhesi front on Monday.

Addressing the gathering, UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli said the government he led had brought a significant development programmes to uplift the living standard of people in Tarai/Madhes.

Similarly, leader Madhav Kumar Nepal said the UML was struggling for the rights of poor people in Tarai/Madhes.

Earlier, the front’s cadres had greeted the top leaders of the UML including Chairman KP Oli with black flags while they were heading to the programme venue from Inaruwa, Sunsari. Police had to resort to firing warning shots to tame the mob as the protestors pelted stones at the leaders’ vehicles and blocked the road by burning tyres.

UML’s campaign postponed for three days

In another incident, the CPN-UML has postponed its ongoing Mechi-Mahakali campaign for three days after the situation turned violent here.

The emergency meeting of party standing committee on Monday decided to postpone the campaign in view of the sensitivity of the situation and the request by the government, informed Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai.

The situation turned violent in the district amidst the protest of the mass gathering held at Gajendra Narayan Singh industrial estate by the UML under the campaign.

A press release issued by the UML mentioned that its campaign was peaceful and drawing thousands of participants but the violence over this has worried the party.

The UML has accused the UDMF cadres of involving in violent agitation and assailing common people and the security persons. RSS