December 14, 2023
KATHMANDU – One person died of bullet injuries after a bullet struck him when the police fired live rounds into the air to disperse protesters in Simraungadh Municipality of Bara on Wednesday. The police also fired several rounds of teargas canisters to control the crowd.
Twenty-five-year-old Laxmi Mukhiya Bin of Nansagaradhant of Simraungadh-1 received bullet wounds on the back of his head. He died on the spot and was taken to Narayani Hospital in Birgunj for post-mortem, informed Chief District Officer of Bara, Nawaraj Sapkota.
A protest programme was being held outside the municipal office in Simraungadh by the municipal staff and government school teachers against delayed payment of their salaries. The unpaid employees have been protesting against the municipality for the past two months for delay in payment.
The municipal employees and the teachers have been deprived of their salaries for the past five months due to the disputes between Mayor Sah, who was elected from the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, and the other people’s representatives elected from the Nepali Congress.
Additionally, Sah had earlier announced that the annual municipal council meeting was completed. However, Nepali Congress representatives, who have a majority in the local body, questioned the legitimacy of the municipal council meeting and started to protest against the mayor.
Tensions ran high on Wednesday after the protesters allegedly attempted to attack Mayor Kishori Sah and Chief Administrative Officer Mahesh Mishra outside the municipal office. Sah’s vehicle was damaged in the clash, the municipality claims.
Police had baton-charged protesters, lobbed tear gas canisters, and fired bullets into the air to bring the situation under control, said Superintendent of Police Surendra Prasad Kafle.
“Forty-five tear gas canisters were lobbed, and 22 bullets were fired into the air. The situation was finally brought under control,” Kafle said. He claimed the security personnel on duty were compelled to take action as the demonstrators hurled stones at them. Ten police personnel sustained injuries in the clash, he said.
The mayor had been frequently absent from his office for the past two months while the chief administrative officer was transferred to Simraungadh Municipality from Pacharauta Municipality a week ago.
Sah had reached the municipal office on Wednesday for Mishra to assume his office.