Three Madhesi protesters, including a woman, were killed and five others injured on Thursday when police opened fire to quell clashes between agitating Madhesis and ruling CPN-UMl youth wing cadres in a Nepalese town bordering India, forcing Prime Minister K P Oli to cancel his visit there.
Tension flared up at Rangeli Municipality in Morang district after activists of Samyukta loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SlMM) tried to disrupt an event hosted by Youth Association of Nepal (YAN) to honour the Prime Minister.
Police fired shots and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control.
Morang Chief District Officer Swayam Raya said three persons died. The deceased have been identified as Draupadi Devi Chaudhary, 60, Shivu Majhi and Mahadev Hrishi, the Kathmandu Post reported.
DIG Madhav Joshi said five injured have been rushed to a local hospital. “The police had to use force to control the situation,” Home Ministry spokesman Yadav Koirala said.
Prime Minister Oli cancelled his visit after the tension in the area.
CPN-UMl general secretary Ishwor Pokharel and other senior leaders had reached the venue to address the gathering.
The Madhesi Front had earlier issued warning asking the YAN not to organise the programme, saying that it would foil any attempt to honour the prime minister.
Madhesis, largely of Indian-origin, are agitating for the last five months in southern Nepal districts to oppose the new Constitution that divides the country into six federal provinces, claiming the federal structure incorporated in the new Constitution does not satisfy their demands.
Madhesis, who share strong cultural and family bonds with Indians, demand demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation. So far, over 50 people have died in the agitation.