At least five people, including a 14-year-old boy, died and sorces others were injured when security forces open fired at the supporters of Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha who were demonstrating against the proposed seven-state federal set-up in several Tarai districts on Friday.

 Fourteen-year-old Dilip Yadav district died in police firing at Pidari Chowk in Janakpur of Dhanusha district. Niku Kumar Yadav and Sanjay Chaudhary also died of injuries inflicted by bullets fired by security forces. Locals claimed that security personnel captured 18-year-old Niku Kumar of Jamunia and shot him in the head. Sanjay, 37, died while undergoing treatment at Janakpur Zonal Hospital. He was a district committee member of Sadbhawana Party.

Dr Sanjaya Thakur, the medical superintendent of Janakpur Zonal Hospital, said 30 people with bullet wounds were admitted to the hospital on Friday. Police said they were preparing to send four seriously injured protesters to the Capital for treatment.

The Morcha supporters staged demonstration in Janakpur despite the curfew orders issued by the local administration.

In Mahottari district, 75-year-old Ganesh Chaudhary died after being hit by a bullet fired by police at Ratwara. A resident of Bajrahi, Ganesh was shopping when he was shot in the head by police who were pursuing the demonstrators. Forty-year-old Rajshila Devi of Hattilet VDC also died when police open fired at demonstrators in Sankhar Chowk. She, too, was shot in the head.

At least three demonstrators, including a woman, sustained bullet injuries in the incident.

In Siraha, police and demonstrators clashed at Golbazaar in which three people, including a security personnel, were hurt.

The clash ensued after the demonstrators entered the prohibited zone. Police fired 12 rounds of bullets and lobbed teargas shells to

disperse the protesters

who fought back with stones and bricks. Chief District Officer Rabilal Panthi said Siraha has been declared a riot-affected zone following the incidents of violence. Saptari was also declared a riot-affected zone.

In Sarlahi district, the Morcha supporters set fire to a police station at Haripurba. Demonstrators also vandalised a security check post of the Armed Police Force at Madhubani.

(With inputs from our district correspondents)