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An indefinite curfew has been imposed in parts of Sunsari District in eastern Nepal following clashes between two groups that escalated over the past few days.
The Sunsari District Administration Office imposed the curfew from 3:30 PM (local time) on Tuesday in sensitive areas of the district, with the order remaining in force until further notice. According to a notice signed by Chief District Officer (CDO) Ishwori Prasad Aryal, the curfew order was issued under Section 6(a) of the Local Administration Act, 1971 (2028 BS), to maintain law and order. As per the notice, the curfew covers areas along the East-West Highway from Pakali Chowk in the east to the Koshi Barrage Bridge in the west, extending 200 metres on both the northern and southern sides of the highway. The entire Inaruwa market area has also been brought under the curfew. During the curfew period, all movement within the designated areas has been prohibited. Public gatherings, rallies, demonstrations, meetings and sit-ins have also been banned. The District Administration Office has urged residents to cooperate with authorities in maintaining peace and security and to comply with the curfew order. The Chief District Officer of Sunsari, Ishwori Prasad Aryal, said the administration has refrained from using force despite escalating tensions following violence in Kaptanganj of Dewanganj Rural Municipality-3. The unrest, which began after a clash between two communities on Sunday night, spread from Dewanganj to the district headquarters of Inaruwa and areas along the East-West Highway. Local residents reported incidents of vandalism, arson and assaults in the Koshi embankment area on Tuesday. "Our objective is to ensure that no one is injured or killed. Our focus is on preventing any further casualties," Aryal told ANI over the phone. The official, who recently assumed charge of his post, said personnel from Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and the Nepal Army have been deployed in the affected areas to maintain security. He added that although the curfew had been briefly relaxed in the morning, it was re-imposed from the afternoon in areas along the East-West Highway as tensions persisted. "People have come out in crowds and small groups in many places, but we have not used force against them. So far, we are not in favour of using force. We are trying to bring the situation under control through public announcements and other peaceful measures wherever possible," Aryal told ANI. (ANI)
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