Indefinite curfew has been imposed from Tuesday following a clash between two groups in Sunsari district of eastern Nepal. To maintain law and order, the administration has banned movement of people and gathering in many sensitive areas including the East-West Highway.
Indefinite curfew imposed in Sunsari, Nepal
In the Sunsari district of eastern Nepal, indefinite curfew has been imposed in some parts of the district following increased tension and clashes between two groups for the past few days. Sunsari District Administration Office imposed curfew in sensitive areas of the district from 3:30 pm (local time) on Tuesday, which will continue till further orders.
According to the notice issued by Chief District Officer (CDO) Ishwari Prasad Aryal, curfew order has been issued under Section 6 (A) of the Local Administration Act, 1971 (2028 BS) to maintain law and order.
According to the notice, curfew has been imposed on the East-West Highway from Pakal Chowk in the east to Kosi Barrage bridge in the west. Apart from this, curfew will also be applicable within a radius of 200 meters on both the north and south sides of the highway. The entire Inaruwa market area has also been brought under curfew.
During the curfew period, all movement within the designated areas has been prohibited. Public gatherings, rallies, demonstrations, meetings and dharnas have also been banned. The District Administration Office has urged residents to cooperate with the authorities in maintaining peace and security and follow the curfew order.
Administration refrained from using force, emphasized on restoration of peace
Sunsari Chief District Officer Ishwari Prasad Aryal said that despite the increased tension after the violence in Kaptanganj of Devanganj Rural Municipality-3, the administration has refrained from using force. The unrest, which started after a clash between two communities on Sunday night, spread from Devanganaj to the district headquarters Inaruwa and areas on the East-West Highway.
Local residents reported incidents of vandalism, arson and fighting in the Kosi embankment area on Tuesday.
Priority to prevent loss of life and property
“Our aim is to ensure that no one gets injured or no one loses life. Our focus is to prevent any loss of life or property,” Aryal told ANI over phone.
The officer, who recently assumed charge, said that Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Nepal Army personnel have been deployed in the affected areas to maintain security. He also said that the curfew was relaxed for some time in the morning, but due to continued tension, it was re-imposed in the areas of the East-West Highway from noon.
“At many places people have come out in crowds and small groups, but we have not used force against them. As of now, we are not in favor of using force. We are trying to control the situation with public announcements and other peaceful measures wherever possible,” Aryal told ANI. (ANI)
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