KOHALPUR, Dec 10: The District Administration Office (DAO), Banke, has decided to request the Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct a free and fair investigation into the recent unrest in Kohalpur.
The local administration will request to form a judicial probe committee to investigate in to the Kohalpur incident, according to Chief District Officer (CDO) Kumar Bahadur Khadka.
On Sunday, at least two dozen students and locals were injured when police opened fire after clashes erupted when a truck hit a schoolgirl in Kohalpur, Banke.
The truck with registration number Na 2 Kha 9459 en route to Nepalgunj from Kohalpur crushed the legs of Prakriti Chand, a seventh grader of the Tribhuvan Secondary School, leaving her seriously injured. The truck hit her immediately after she was dropped near the school gate by her father.
Enraged locals set the truck on fire. A clash erupted between the locals and police when the latter tried to bring the situation under control using force. The police also opened fire at the locals and students leaving dozens injured.
One found dead, other unconscious at Kohalpur hotel
The enraged students and locals had also vandalized around a dozen and a half vehicles on the road and pelted stones at the police station.
The locals also vandalized the canteen of the Area Police Office. To bring the situation under control, police fired several rounds of tear gas canisters.
The administration will also request the government to bear the cost of treatment of students injured in the incident, CDO Khadka said, adding that the DAO will request the government to compensate Chand – who lost her both legs in the accident – for a better future.
According to SP Bir Bahadur Oli, chief of the District Police Office, Banke, the investigation will help to know the truth about the incident.
“The to be formed committee will investigate into the case,” he said, adding that the number of tear gas shells and bullets fired by police is still unknown.
Chand, who was injured in the accident, is receiving treatment at B and B Hospital in Kathmandu, while other 10 are receiving treatment at TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj. Some injured are receiving treatment at Nepalgunj Medical College Teaching Hospital.
Likewise, 18 police officials also sustained injuries after they were hit by stones thrown by the locals. They are also receiving treatment at Tripura Hospital of Armed Police Force.
Meanwhile, the protesters continued their protest on Monday too. They also pelted stones at the police office.
The protesters have been staging protests in different areas of Kohalpur while burning tyres since 10 am, according to police.
Vehicular movement was also halted due to the ongoing tension in Banke.
The protesters also demanded resignation of Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, and demanded a fair probe into the incident.
Academic institutions in the district have remained closed in the wake of Sunday's tragic incident. The local administration has also announced some places of Kohalpur as prohibited areas.
A large number of troops from Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been mobilized in the area.
