Sunauli-Bhairahawa border point wore a deserted look throughout the day on Thursday, the day after dozens of security personnel were injured in the clashes with the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) protesters.

Apart from some ambulances and tourist coaches, most of the vehicles remained off the roads on Wednesday. Movement of cargo trucks have been obstructed for the past four days.

Rupandehi Chief District Officer Bishnu Prasad Dhakal said the area largely remained peaceful as there were no demonstrations at the border point.

“The Indian authorities have instructed security personnel to impose restrictions on demonstrations in the border area from Thursday onwards,” CDO Dhakal said.

Major leaders of the Morcha, including Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP) Chairman Mahanta Thakur, Vice-chairman Hridayesh Tripathi, Chairman of the Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum-Nepal Upendra Yadav reached Bhairahawa on Thursday.

While the exact reason of Madhesi leaders arrival was not immediately clear, they are said to have demanded the local administration to allow them to stage a sit-in protest for 10 minutes at the border point.

But the administration refused the demand. Meanwhile speaking at a rally in Nepalgunj, Sadbhawana Chairman Rajendra Mahato said they would take both

the ongoing Madhes protest and negotiations with the government together.

The Nepalgunj-Rupahidiya border point also witnessed a low vehicular movement on Wednesday as the SLMM protesters obstructed the border point shortly after the Indian security personnel allowed some cargo trucks to enter Nepali territory.

SLMM cadres torch ambulance

The SLMM cadres torched an ambulance at Nagawa in Birgunj-19 on Wednesday night. The ambulance (Na 2 Cha 7546) was carrying medicines worth around Rs700,000. “The protesters also looted some packs of medicines and torched the ambulance,” a witness said. The ambulance driver said it was taking emergency medicines to a hospital in Chitwan.