A day after the death of three people in clashes between police and cadres of the agitating Madhes-based parties in Rangeli, Morang, the CPN-UML-affiliated Youth Association Nepal on Friday said the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha should take responsibility for the killings.

Three persons died in Rangeli and Dayaniya on Thursday in clashes when the police fired at protesters following the agitators’ attempt to attack a rally organised by the YAN, the youth wing of the ruling UML. Stating that the police had to act in self defence after shots were fired from the protesters’ side, YAN Chairman Rajiv Pahari said the Madhes-based parties should take responsibility for the deaths.

“Gunshots were fired from the crowd of Madhesi protesters while I had just tried to address the mass meeting,” said Pahari. As part of its Madhes-focussed constitution publicity campaign, the YAN has been organising mass meetings and interactions in several districts.

Backed by the party, the YAN and other sister wings of the UML are engaged in the constitution publicity campaign for the past few weeks. The youth wing has expressed serious concerns over Madhesis’ obstruction of their programmes. “Why did they obstruct our peaceful programmes to which even they were invited for discussion on the constitutional issues,” said Pahari.

He said that barring any group from organising mass meetings and expressing their views is against the democratic practice. “Organising rallies is a fundamental right in democracy. Why were they determined to obstruct our programme?” Pahari wondered. The YAN expressed its sorrow at the deaths and asked the government for a probe into the matter.