Criminal activities are on the rise in the district after police posts in rural areas were relocated to area police offices, locals said.

The police posts were relocated citing insecurity due to protests from Madhes-based parties. The district remained shut for two months due to the protests while incidents such as physical assaults and robbery increased due to the absence of police.

Ramsewak Yadav of Bharatpur VDC-3 was looted on Monday night. He was returning home with after purchasing necessary things in India for his mother’s final rituals. “I had spent around Rs 150,000 on those things,” he said. “A group of around 32 masked people surrounded the tractor and looted the goods,” said Dipendra, Ramsewak’s relative. “The robbers wielding iron rods looted us,” he said.

Ramsewak said the looters identified themselves as Morcha supporters. “When security personnel from Gaushala Area Police Post reached the incident site, the looters were already gone,” Dipendra said.

Likewise, another unidentified armed group also looted a local trader’s house at Gaushala Municipality-8 in the district on Monday night. Police said the gang robbed Rs 400,000 and IRs 100,000 in cash and some gold jewellery from the house of Manoj Sah.

Meanwhile, Gaushala Area Police Office said security personnel have not been able to visit some rural areas as protesters have asked them not to come out with weapons during patrolling.