Nepali administration intensifies curfew in border town to prevent communal violence

The Nepali administration on Wednesday further intensified an indefinite curfew in a border town, which was imposed to prevent communal violence, as it escorted people entering the country from India to their destinations, officials said.

At least 22 people, including 5 security personnel, were injured on Tuesday in a communal clash, triggered by a social media post, in Nepalgunj, about 400 km west of Kathmandu.

Following the clash, the Banke district administration imposed an indefinite curfew starting at 1:00 pm on Tuesday in the town, which borders Uttar Pradesh.

Banke's Chief District Officer Bipin Acharya said the curfew has been intensified, and people entering Nepal via the Jamunaha point are being escorted to their destinations.

The district administration will hold an all-party meeting at the earliest to settle down the situation in the town, he said.

According to Jamunaha's police beat's senior superintendent of police Min Bahadur Bista so far 1,500 Nepalis arrived from India have been safely escorted up to the point from where they could reach their destinations safely.

Nepalis are returning home from various places in India including Shimla, Kalapahad, and Delhi via the Jamunaha point in the district, he said.

Meanwhile, the local administration has urged all to cooperate to ease the situation and not to upload any content capable of jeopardising social and religious harmony on social sites.

Political parties based in Nepalgunj, religious leaders, civil society activists and intellectuals have appealed all for restoring peace and harmony in the town.