Preliminary estimates show that vandalism and arson during the protests of July 30 in the Gol Bazaar area of Siraha caused damage worth over Rs 740 million.
According to SP Basu Dev Pathak, chief of the District Police Office, Siraha, the damage details were made public after analysing on-site reports prepared based on complaints received from victims.
Police say that during the protests, 64 structures were vandalised or set on fire in the Gol Bazaar area, including 15 private homes, 18 shops and businesses, 28 vehicles, and religious and educational sites.
According to police, the damage breaks down as follows: private homes and commercial structures suffered the highest loss at Rs 340.559 million, shops and businesses at Rs 331.712 million, vehicles at Rs 10.2 million, and religious and educational sites at Rs 58.19 million.
Shops in Gol Bazaar, which had remained closed for nearly a week due to the unrest, resumed operations from 10 am on Tuesday. Before this, on Monday, MP Purushottam Yadav held discussions with Muslim community business owners in Golbazar Municipality-11, Balkawa, urging them to maintain social harmony and resume their businesses.
During the discussion, Yadav committed to raising the issue of damage to shops, malls, and private homes in parliament and before the government, and to pressuring the government to take the matter seriously and provide compensation to the victims.
During the protests on July 30, 15-year-old Ganesh Yadav of Aurahi Rural Municipality-2, Tulsiyahi, Siraha, was killed after being shot by security personnel. Following Ganesh’s death, the protests intensified, leading to vandalism and arson targeting various shops, businesses, and private structures in the Gol Bazaar area.
Since the incident, local authorities, the administration, political parties, and representatives of various communities have been working to restore social harmony and normalise daily life in the affected area.
