Indefinite curfew in Palpa after violent protest

KATHMANDU, JAN 20 - Palpa District Administration has clamped an indefinite curfew at Bejhad area of Rampur in the district after the protest against the murder of a 27-year-old woman went out of control. The irate locals torched the Area Police Office during the demonstration.

According to Deputy Chief District Officer Nabaraj Baral, the curfew order was imposed as per the local administration act to take the situation under control. He added the administration was compelled to impose the curfew after over five dozen police personnel failed to control the agitating mob of locals.

Police fired several blank shots into the air and over four dozen tear gas shells to contain the situation; but to no avail, locals said. Police ran out of its stock of tear gas shells, sources said.

Earlier in the day, thousands of protestors tried to take the Area Police Office of Bejhad, Rampur. However, the crowds dispersed after the authority enforced the curfew order .

The locals resorted to the strike demanding action against the murderer of 27-year-old Sonu Shrestha. Shrestha, who had gone missing for the past one and a half months, was found dead on the bank of Kaligandaki river on Saturday. The body was wrapped inside a sack.

Claiming that Shrestha's husband used to beat her, the locals have blamed him for the murder.