Nepal police shot dead four Indian-origin Madhesis blockading a key highway in Terai over the new Constitution as violence returned to the country already reeling under acute shortage of essential goods, prompting India to express “distress” at the loss of lives.
Nepalese lawmakers belonging to Madhes-based parties obstucted proceedings at the Parliament over the police firing, following which the meeting was postponed.
The Madhes-based parties and ethnic groups jointly agreed to launch fresh month-long protests in the volatile Terai region beginning Monday to press for more rights and representation in the newly promulgated Constitution.
On the first day of their protests, a condolence meeting will be organised here in memory of those killed during the three month-long agitation in southern Nepal which totals to more than 40. Earlier, the agitating Joint Democratic Madhesi Front claimed that four of its cadres were killed and dozens of protesters suffered injuries in the police firing in Saptari in the volatile southern plains late on Saturday night as the Madhesis-led agitation entered its 100th day on Sunday.
However, the police have confirmed only two deaths.
The Madhesis were participating in a blockade of the nation’s main East-West Highway in Saptari district, some 280 kilometres south-east of the capital.
An indefinite curfew was clamped down following the deaths as police said they resorted to firing after the nearly 2,500-strong crowd attacked them with petrol bombs and bricks when they tried to forcibly to remove the protesters.
The Madhesis were killed during clashes between the agitators and the security personnel, who were escorting vehicles carrying passengers, police said about the incident that has raised fears of further political turmoil in Nepal.
Saturday's clashes injured as many as 17 protesters and 25 police personnel, of whom five protesters and two policemen are said to be in serious condition.
The protesters started pelting stones at the security personnel which led to the clashes, Saptari District Police Office Chief Bhim Dhakal said.
"We had to use force to disperse the mob of protesters after they inadvertently started attacking the security personnel with homemade weapons," Dhakal said.
The violence comes as the landlocked country, heavily dependent on India for supplies of essential goods, continues to reel under acute shortage of fuels, medicines and other items for over two months now.
Nepal has accused India of siding with the protesters and meddling in its internal affairs, a charge New Delhi denies. Expressing concern over the fresh violence, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup, who is now in Malaysia accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi, tweeted that India was "distressed at loss of lives in police firing in Saptari".
Meanwhile, Nepalese lawmakers obstucted proceedings at the Parliament over the police firing that killed two protesters following which the meeting was postponed.
lawmakers from the agitating Joint Democratic Madhesi Front surrounded the rostrum and shouted slogans after the Speaker, Onsari Gharti Magar, refused to grant time to Terai Madhes Democratic Party lawmaker Sarbendra Nath Shukla.
They also demanded stern action against security personnel who were involved in the shooting on last night at Saptari. The Parliament was adjourned and the next meeting has been scheduled for November 26.
Meanwhile, Madhesis, ethnic groups announce fresh month-long proteststo press for more rights and representation in the newly-promulgated Constitution.
As per the programme, protest rallies and public meetings will be organised in different parts of the country including Sunsari, Morang, Dhanusha, Sarlahi, Bara, Makanwanpur, Rupendehi and Kailali.A meeting of nine political parties including Federal Socialist Forum Nepal, Terai Madhes Democratic Party, Sadbhawana Party, Tharuhat Terai Party and Federal limbuwan Party Nepal held here which decided the programme.