The District Administration Office (DAO), Kanchanpur, clamped curfew in Bhimdutta bazaar area after demonstrations turned violent on the third consecutive day of the protests against the rape and murder of a teenage girl on Thursday.

A meeting of district chiefs of all three security agencies decided to impose the curfew.

Talking to the Post in a telephone conversation, Chief District Officer Kumar Bahadur Khadka informed the time of curfew has not been decided yet. CDO Khadka said there are locals who came to Bhimdutta bazaar for shopping. The administration said they have given time for them to return home.

“We are imposing curfew in the market area. But since those shoppers have to return home, we are undecided on when to impose the curfew. We will look into the situation and may impose it from 4 or 5 pm,” said CDO Khadka.

CDO Khadka added curfew will be imposed in areas nearby Bhimdutta market where police clashed with protestors. He added the curfew decision was taken to prevent any untoward incident from happening.

Earlier in the day, four persons were injured when police opened fire at the protesters staging a demonstration against the rape and murder of a teenage girl at Traffic Chok in the district.

Protestors had gathered at the junction from early morning to protest the rape and subsequent murder of a 13-year-old Nirmala Panta in Bhimdutta Municipality.

Police had initially fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob. However, when they ran out of shells, police opened fire at the protestors.

The injured four have been receiving treatment at Mahakali Zonal Hospital. Their condition has not been known.

Mahendranagar bazaar area has remained shut for the third consecutive day in protest of the rape and murder. Protestors have also halted traffic along the East-West Highway by burning tyres on the road. They are also protesting in front of the District Administration Office.

Locals in Kanchanpur intensified their protests after a fake suspect was paraded before the media as the prime suspect of the murder case. They accused the police administration of presenting the fake suspect to protect the perpetrator.

The body of Nirmala was found in a sugarcane field on July 27, a day after she was reported missing.

Autopsy report showed that the teenager had been raped and strangulated to death.