KATHMANDU, Jan 25 - Despite the Madhesi People's Rights Forum's (MPRF) commitment for dialogue with the government after an appeal by the prime minister, the situation across various parts of the Terai region worsened on Thursday.

The local administrations in Siraha, Janakpur, Birgunj and Biratnagar today imposed curfews to prevent any untoward incidents in the wake of increasing unrest across the region.

Welcoming Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's appeal for talks, the MPRF in a statement issued today had said that it considers the appeal a positive step but would continue with "non-violence and peaceful protests."

The local administrations clamped curfews after the MPRF activists began to vandalize public properties.

According to our Siraha correspondent Bharat Jarghamagar, security has been beefed up in Lahan bazaar, where an 11-hour curfew has been imposed from 7 am to 6 pm today. However, defying the curfew orders, the MPRF took to the streets this morning.

Chief District Office Shashi Shekhar Shrestha said that the curfew would be relaxed once the situation in the area improves.

Meanwhile, the MPRF activists vandalized the vehicle of assistant chief district officer of Sunsari, Mohan Prasad Sharma, who was returning to his residence from his office this morning. The activists also attempted to torch his vehicle.

The activists padlocked at least a dozen government offices today.

Police opened blank fires to disperse the agitated mob, our correspondent said.

In Birgunj, the administration has imposed a curfew from 1:30 pm to 10 pm.

Our correspondent Sujit Mahat said minor scuffle erupted between the MPRF activists and police in Birgunj this afternoon.

The activists vandalized several hotels, shops, government offices and public houses from Ghantaghar to Revenue Office in the town today.

Four MPRF activists and a policeman were injured during the scuffle.

The forum has been launching various protest programmes in the area for the past few weeks, Mahat said.

The MPRF activists have carried out their activities that are against the forum's president's statement.

Four people have already died in the growing unrest in Lahan.

A 16-year-old student, Ramesh Kumar Mahato was killed during a scuffle between the Maoists and the activists of MPRF last weekend after which the district administration office has been issuing one curfew order after another in a bid to bring down growing tension.

The government had officially invited the agitating MPRF for table talks to defuse the growing tension at Lahan in Siraha district on Wednesday.

In a tea party hosted by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala yesterday, the PM had iterated that dialogue can resolve the unrest in the Terai region.

In Biratnagar, our correspondent Bhim Ghimire said the district administration has clamped a six-hour curfew (from 4 pm-10pm).

A large number of police personnel have been deployed in the town but the activists have continued to stage protest demonstrations.

The forum's call for indefinite banda has disrupted life in Bara, Biratnagar as well.

Janakpur worst hit

At least two dozen demonstrators were injured, four seriously, when riot police opened fire as protesters and policemen faced off during a MPRF demonstration in Janakpur. 

The MPRF, along with its students’ wing, Nepal Sadbhawana Party, among other Madhesi organizations, took out the rally defying the curfew order and protesting the Lahan incident, according to our correspondent Shyam Sundar Shashi. 

The protesters vandalized three government offices and a local hotel while torching three vehicles.

The local administration announced the curfew order from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. taking into account the degrading security situation.

Police fired dozens of rounds of teargas shells and fired into the air to contain the violent demonstration.

While chanting slogans against Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist Chairman Prachanda, the demonstrators also demanded the resignation of Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula.

Some of the activists, who supported the king in the past, were also involved in the incident, our correspondent said.