Two killed in clashes in south Nepal's Lahan

Two people were killed in fresh clashes between police and protesters in south Nepal's Lahan, local media group's website eKantipur reported on Monday.

Monday afternoon Madheshi Peoples' Rights Forum (MPRF, also called the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum) claimed that two people were killed when the police opened fire on thousands of demonstrators who descended on the unit police station in Lahan.

The relative calm in Monday morning in unrest-torn Lahan municipality, Siraha district, which is some 150 kilometers to the southeast of capital Kathmandu, proved short-lived.

Chief District Officer of Siraha Shashi Shekhar Shrestha said that the police had opened fire in self-defense.

The police said that they had to resort to firing weapons after the MPRF members in large numbers began pelting stones at them and vandalizing the police office.

At least three dozen protesters and at least 50 police officers were injured during the scuffle between the two. Among them, the condition of three of the injured protesters were reported to be critical.

The Siraha District Administration Office imposed curfew till 4: 00 a.m on Tuesday (2215 GMT, Monday) from 4:00 p.m on Monday (1015 GMT, Monday) within Lahan municipality to take the situation under control.

In face of Sunday's tension, the local administration had called for a 15-hour curfew.

The violent demonstrations led by MPRF began on Friday, claiming one of its members was shot dead by a cadre of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (formerly known as guerrilla). CPN cadres traveled in vehicles while MPRF was calling on a rally and strike in Lahan, which led to a scuffle between the two sides.

MPRF carried out protests in Kathmandu and called on general strikes in south Nepal's Terai districts against the recently promulgated interim constitution. It declared that the interim constitution failed to address the demands of Madhesi people.

Source: Xinhua