A gunman shot dead 28-year-old Dipendra Kumar Chaudhary (Rajababu) near his residence at Shuddhdhan Rural Municipality-4, Kapilvastu, on Friday night.

Labani and Motibhari areas along the Lumbini-Taulihawa road section remained tense throughout the day on Saturday as Chaudhary’s friends and relatives resorted to protest, demanding the authorities to bring the culprits to the book and ensure law and order.

Security personnel fired warning shots in the air and lobbed teargas canisters to disperse the protesters who resorted to arson and vandalism.

Superintendent of Police Achyut Prasad Pudasaini said Chaudhary was shot dead in a road near his house at around 9pm. He sustained four bullet wounds in his head and one in abdomen, he added.

 Chaudhary had gone to a local shop where his younger brother Jitendra was engaged in a dispute with Ajit Pandey, a local man. Jitendra claimed that it was Ajit who shot his brother.

Tension escalated in the area after Chaudhary’s relatives brought the body to Labani from Bhairahawa Medical College. Police resorted to baton charge as the enraged locals attempted to vandalise a petrol pump belonging to Pandey. A policeman and a local were injured in the clash. The enraged demonstrators later reached Ajit’s house in Motibhari and torched his house. Policemen fired warning shots and teargas shells to take the situation under control.

The victim’s relatives and the local administration later held talks at Labani Police Post. They reached to an agreement to ease tension and arrest the Chaudhary’s shooter.

Police have arrested Amit Pandey and Ram Krishna Pandey for investigation.