Janakpurdham, November 1
The Madhesh Province Police Office has formed an investigation committee into the clash and shooting that took place over the inauguration of a hospital on Saturday.
The three-member committee is led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prabhu Prasad Dhakal of the provincial police office. The other members are Superintendent of Police Bhuwaneshwor Prasad Sah of the Nepal Police Special Security Force in Dhalkebar, and Inspector Jatashankar Yadav of the Provincial Police Office in Birgunj, Parsa.
The committee has been asked to complete its investigation and submit a report as soon as possible.
On Saturday, a clash broke out during a program to inaugurate a newly built 15-bed hospital in Pheta Rural Municipality, Bara. The hospital was built with a grant from the federal government. During the clash, a local youth, Aditya Paswan, was injured by a bullet fired by police.
Five police personnel were also injured by stones thrown by protesters. The protesters set fire to 10 motorcycles and vandalised the foundation plaque of the newly built hospital.
Suman Lama, the inspector in charge of the Area Police Office in Prasauni, who had been commanding security at the site, has also been relieved of his responsibility. A source at the Madhesh Province Police said Lama has been pulled from the post.
The CPN-UML had earlier warned that it would stop the program. The head of the municipality won the election from the Bibeksheel Sajha Party. After the party’s unification, the municipality is now led by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
RSP House of Representatives member Samikshya Baskota arrived to inaugurate the hospital. When the program was not stopped, the UML cadres tried to disrupt it, and the clash followed.
