 |
Kathmandu Monday May 28, 2001 Jestha 15, 2058.
|
First day
of bandh passes-off peacefully
Post Report
KATHMANDU, May 27 At least one person was killed and many
more injured in several incidents of violence in various places throughout the kingdom
during the first day of the three day bandh called by the alliance of six left parties
including the main opposition CPN-UML today.
However, in other places the day passed peacefully without
any reports of major violence or destruction but the bandh paralysed almost all government
offices, private industries, educational institutions, market places and transportation.
According our correspondent from Tehrathum, Sukman Gurung,
member of UML’s district committee and the Chairman of Kudhi Village Development
Committee died as he was being brought to Kathmandu for treatment after he received a
bullet injury below his right knee.
Contradictory statements have been made by the CPN-UML and
the Home Ministry regarding the incident. While the UML states that Gurung was killed as
he was shot while he was addressing a mass meet at Beshisahar, the Home Ministry says that
he was hit by a teargas shell when police used teargas to disperse the agitators pelting
stones at them. At least 13 people have been reportedly arrested and seven policemen
injured in the violence in the district today.
Reports from Jhapa state that the protestors broke windows
of Agriculture Development Bank’s Chandragadi branch and vandalised the same bank’s
monitoring office at Birtamod. The protestors even manhandled the chief of the monitoring
office Rudra Nath Dahal.
Number of UML cadres including two district level leaders
and seven policemen were injured in clashes on the eve of bandh last night in Jhapa.
Chandragadi remained tense throughout the day today.
Likewise, in Taplejung the agitators vandalised several
government offices breaking windowpanes and furniture. A mob led by Member of Parliament
Tilkumar Moyambo, attacked and forcibly closed all the government offices. Chief District
Officer Durga Prasad Pokhrel said that he could not provide a single security personal in
order to protect 31 government offices in the district.
Other incidents of minor violence have been reported from
Kalikot, Pokhara, Dhankuta, Baglung, Tanahun, Palpa and Jajarkot.
According to reports from Sindhuli, regular exams at the
local schools and colleges could not be held due to the bandh therefore all the exams have
been postponed.
Similarly, in Jhapa all regular examinations have been
postponed after the protesters tore the examination papers after forcing themselves in the
local Damak Multiple Campus this morning at 7:30.
Since life came to a standstill in the whole district no
aircraft landed today at Bhadrapur, said Rajesh Regmi, Chief of Buddha Air at the
Chandragadi airport.
As stated by the District Police Office in Khalanga, a
group of left cadres including Member of Parliament Ratna Sharma was arrested as it was
trying to forcibly close down the District Post Office in Tautibazar.
Likewise, reports from various other districts including
Jumla, Mugu, Myagdi, Makwanpur, Sindhuli, Rolpa, Mahottari, and Tehrathum state that the
first day of the bandh passed peacefully.
Reports from the far western districts of Rukum states that
the bandh has affected the entire district as all the shops and educational institutions
remained closed throughout the day. In the district headquarters Musikot supply of
essential items such as electricity has also been stopped.
Similarly, reports from Khalanga district headquarters of
Jajarkot another far western district, states that District Education Office at Pipaldanda
was burnt by a group unknown people this morning at 9:45 immediately as the office guard
opened the office gates.
From Siraha, our correspondent reports that five people
were injured when the guard at the National Agriculture Bank at Mirchaia opened fire at
the mob that tried to vandalise the office.
In Tikapur, former MP Ganga Bahadur Kunwar was assaulted
and gravely injured as the agitators attacked him for riding a motorcycle during bandh.
According to the Home Ministry the police has arrested 12
people in Lamjung and 12 in Jajarkot.
Other Stories
|
