Protests in various Tarai districts turned violent on Friday, hours after the agitating Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha decided to intensify its agitation in the region.

Protesters torched a truck carrying medicines in Birgunj while an ambulance ferrying a patient was vandalised in Katahari-8, Morang. On Thursday, the SLMM had decided that it “will allow drugs cargo to pass through” even if it intensified its protests in the Tarai.

Protesters hurled petrol bombs at the truck (Na 2 Kha 8292) loaded with medical supplies at Shripur in Birgunj-14. Medicines worth around Rs2 million were destroyed, said police. Pharmaceutical entrepreneurs had loaded the truck with medicines stored at the godown after the SLMM announced to allow trucks carrying medicines, oxygen cylinders and health-related equipment to pass through.

“The truck was carrying essential medicines. We were preparing to supply them to Chitwan, Janakpur and Kathmandu following the SLMM’s decision,” said Dr Anuj Yadav of Shivarati Pharmaceuticals. He said some medicines imported from India before the blockade came into force were stored in the godown and that they were being transported following SLMM’s decision on Thursday.

According to the truck driver, the protesters threw three Molotov cocktails at the vehicle just after midnight. The vehicle also had a banner that read “essential medicines”. A police team reached the incident site soon after they were informed about the incident and doused the fire.

When asked, Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato said he had no knowledge of the incident. “Why would protesters torch a truck carrying medicines as the SLMM has decided to allow vehicles carrying medicines to pass through? There could be infiltration,” he said, adding: “The SLMM does not have any policy to torch and vandalise ambulances and trucks carrying drugs.” He, however, said medicines “should not be transported during the night without coordinating with the SLMM activists”.

Dozens of vehicles were also torched and vandalised for defying the Morcha-imposed banda in Tarai districts.  

In Morang, SLMM cadres vandalised a Biratnagar-bound ambulance (Ko 1 Cha 7379) along the Biratnagar-Rangeli road section.

The ambulance was carrying 18-month-old Manasi Bhattarai, a chronic pneumonia patient, and his mother Hira to a clinic in Biratnagar.

According to driver Dilip Mandal, a group of 10 protesters attacked the vehicle with bricks without letting the patient and her mother get off the vehicle. “They snatched the key from me and vandalised the vehicle when the child and his mother were still inside the vehicle,” said Mandal.

Hira, a police constable at Rangeli Police Office, sustained minor injuries in the incident. She was taking her daughter to Biratnagar from Rangeli  as other vehicles had stayed off the roads due to the banda.

In Biratnagar, SLMM supporters took out a rally in Biratnagar and enforced banda. Marketplaces remained shut and vehicles stayed off the roads since morning due to the banda.

Meanwhile, protesters vandalised eight trucks and two motorcycles that were parked at National Cement Factory in Katahari-8 on Friday morning. They also threw stones at the factory. Similarly, demonstrators vandalised two rickshaws and eight motorcycles at Mahabir Chowk. A clash between security personnel and protesters had briefly flared up in the area.

Meanwhile, an unidentified gang torched a truck (Na 4 Kha 5983) at Barhathawa in Sarlahi district on Thursday night. A group of some masked men torched the Kathmandu-bound vehicle near the Choraniya bridge.

 Likewise, SLMM activists took out a protest rally in various places in Saptari district. They staged demonstrations at Bhardaha, Portaha, Rupani and Rajbiraj among other areas in the district. The protesters have decided to block the highway from Saturday.

Meanwhile, SLMM activists also attempted to vandalise the house of former prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal in Gaur, Rautahat. However, security personnel intervened in time and dispersed the mob.

(With inputs from local correspondents)