The local administrations in Siraha, Janakpur, Birgunj and Biratnagar today imposed curfew orders to prevent any untoward incidents in the wake of increasing unrest across the region.
Welcoming Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's appeal for talks, the MPRF in a statement issued today had said that it considers the appeal a positive step but would continue with "non-violence and peaceful protests."
The local administrations clamped curfews after the MPRF activists began to vandalize public properties.
According to our Siraha correspondent Bharat Jarghamagar, security has been beefed up in Lahan bazaar, where an 11-hour curfew has been imposed from 7 am to 6 pm today. However, defying the curfew orders, the MPRF took to the streets this morning.
Chief District Office Shashi Shekhar Shrestha said that the curfew would be relaxed once the situation in the area improves.
Meanwhile, the MPRF activists vandalized the vehicle of assistant chief district officer of Sunsari, Mohan Prasad Sharma, who was returning to his residence from his office this morning. The activists also attempted to torch his vehicle.
The activists padlocked at least a dozen government offices today.
Police opened blank fires to disperse the agitated mob, our correspondent said.
In Birgunj, the administration has imposed a curfew from 1:30 pm to 10 pm.
Our correspondent Sujit Mahat said minor scuffle erupted between the MPRF activists and police in Birgunj this afternoon.
The activists vandalized several hotels, shops, government offices and public houses from Ghantaghar to Revenue Office in the town today.
Four MPRF activists and a policeman were injured during the scuffle.
The forum has been launching various protest programmes in the area for the past few weeks, Mahat said.
The MPRF activists have carried out their activities that are against the forum's president's statement.
Four people have already died in the growing unrest in Lahan.
A 16-year-old student, Ramesh Kumar Mahato was killed during a scuffle between the Maoists and the activists of MPRF last weekend after which the district administration office has been issuing one curfew order after another in a bid to bring down growing tension.
The government had officially invited the agitating MPRF for table talks to defuse the growing tension at Lahan in Siraha district on Wednesday.
In a tea party hosted by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala yesterday, the PM had iterated that dialogue can resolve the unrest in the Terai region.
Meanwhile, following a scuffle between the forum activist, Maoist cadres and police force, the Dhanusha District Administration office issued a seven-hour (10am-5pm) curfew order in Janakpur today.
At least nine MPRF activists were injured when police opened fire at the protesters in the town. Police also fired several rounds of teargas shells to control the mob.
In Biratnagar, our correspondent Bhim Ghimire said the district administration has clamped a six-hour curfew (from 4 pm-10pm).
A large number of police personnel have been deployed in the town but the activists have continued to stage protest demonstrations.
The forum's call for indefinite banda has disrupted life in Bara, Biratnagar as well.
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