KATHMANDU, Aug 9: Police have arrested several people for their alleged involvement in the violent incident in Kaptanganj of Dewanganj Rural Municipality-3, Sunsari.
Three people injured in the violence that began with a clash between two groups on July 25 have died. District Police Office Sunsari spokesperson DSP Chandra Khadka said several people were arrested from Saturday and are being investigated in connection with the incident. He did not disclose their identities.
The arrests come as relatives of Rabindra Mehta, who died on August 4, have refused to receive his body until those responsible are arrested and he is declared a martyr. Daily protests have also been held in Kaptanganj in recent days.
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On July 30, Home Minister Sudan Gurung had reached an agreement with the families of Om Prakash and Jai Prakash, who died in the incident, to initiate the process of declaring them martyrs and provide Rs 1 million in relief to each family. The agreement also included a commitment to conduct an impartial investigation, take legal action against those responsible and provide employment to one member of each family. The families subsequently received the bodies and performed the funerals.
Meanwhile, Mehta died on August 4 after being injured in the incident. Following his death, locals have been staging daily protests in the Kaptanganj area, saying they will continue the agitation until the commitments made by the home minister are implemented.
The victim’s side has kept Mehta’s body at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, as part of their pressure campaign. Several rounds of talks with Home Minister Gurung have failed to reach a conclusion.
The dispute reportedly dates back to a flag installation during a Muharram fair. A flag had been erected in the middle of the local market, and another flag was later installed by the Hindu community during the Bol Bam period. The dispute eventually reached the ward chairperson and rural municipality chairperson.
On July 25, the situation escalated into a clash between two groups of youths over loud DJ music being played at a temple in Dewanganj-3 by youths preparing to participate in Bol Bam activities.
Both sides have argued that the situation could have been avoided had the flag dispute been resolved promptly by local authorities and police had exercised greater caution at the time.
