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Local businessmen hit back at protesters
In a seemingly retaliatory move against the protracted Tarai agitation, local businesspersons on Thursday torched motorcycles used by the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha district leaders in Janakpur.Shyamsundar Shashi
In a seemingly retaliatory move against the protracted Tarai agitation, local businesspersons on Thursday torched motorcycles used by the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha district leaders in Janakpur.
The protesting SLMM, however, blamed “infiltration by some Nepali Congress and CPN-UML activists” for the arson on two-wheelers.
The protesters had vandalised some shops and business enterprises at Janaki Chowk for defying their banda call. The Sanghiya Samabesi Madhesi Gathbandhan took out a baton rally in the morning while the SLMM demonstration in the Janaki Chowk area in the evening.
An unidentified person had told the traders over telephone that the protesters resorted to vandalism at Janaki Chowk again while the latter were at the office of the Janakpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry to complain about the vandalism earlier. Enraged at repeated instances of vandalism of shops and enterprises, local businesspersons attempted to manhandle the SLMM leaders.
The protesting traders torched a motorcycle (Ja 2 Pa 5919) belonging to Sadbhawana Party district Chairman Sanjaya Kumar Singh and Tarai Madhes Sadbhawana Party district Chairman Rupnarayan Mandal’s motorbike (J 3 Pa 2991). Both the vehicles were completely destroyed.
Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal district Chairman Sheshnarayan Yadav, Singh and Mandal, among other leaders, who were at the chowk, ran into a nearby hotel after irate protesters tried to attack them.
After the arson, the protesters demonstrated in the area. They padlocked shops of four businessmen in the evening calling them “anti-Madhes”.
Meanwhile, the SLMM constituent members held a meeting in Janakpur in the evening and decided to intensify their agitation. They also decided to enforce a shutdown of educational institutions, which had reopened recently after months of closure, from Friday.