The final rites of the three persons who were killed in police firing at Rangeli and Dayaniya in Morang district were performed on Monday four days after the tragedy.

The protesting Madhes-based parties took out a funeral rally after the bereaved families received the bodies. The relatives claimed the bodies after the local administration had agreed to write to the Home Ministry recommending martyrs status for the victims and free treatment for the injured protesters. The funeral rally was organised in Biratnagar before the bodies were taken home.

Leaders and supporters of the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha and thousands of people attended the event. They shouted slogans against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Home Minister Shakti Basnet. The protesters clashed briefly with the security personnel at Mahavir Chowk. The enraged agitators vandalised a police van.

Draupadi Devi Chaudhary, 60, of Rangeli-4, Mahadev Rishidev of Bardanga-2 and Shivu Majhi of Dayaniya-9 were killed on Thursday.

The clash followed tension in Rangeli, the old headquarters of Morang district, after the SLMM activists attempted to disrupt a programme organised by the CPN-UML-affiliated Youth Association Nepal. Sanghiya Samjbadi Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav, Sadbhawana Party Chair Rajendra Mahato, Nepal Sadbhawana Party chief Anil Jha and coordinator of Tarai Madhes Rastriya Abhiyan Jaya Prakash Gupta, among other central Madhesi leaders, attended the ritual. The local administration had stepped up security.

Meanwhile, a Kathmandu-based organisation has announced financial assistance to the bereaved families of Majhi and Rishidev. Chairman of the organisation Dr Sundar Mani Dixit pledged Rs250,000 in aid.

Protest continues in Janakpur

JANAKPUR: The agitating Madhes-based parties continued their protest in Janakpur on Monday as well, claiming that the constitutional amendments do not address their concerns. They alleged that the move by the major parties was a ploy to deceive the Madhesi people. Educational institutions remained shut while market places were partially opened in the Tarai town during their protest. In Sarlahi, the protesters vandalised four trucks at Salempur for defying their banda.