A protester has died in police firing in Saptari district where violent clashes have erupted on the first day of an indefinite general strike enforced by the Madhesi Front from Tuesday.
The deceased has been identified as 35-year-old Rajib Raut of Bhardaha VDC-1 in Saptari district. He was shot at when police opened fire to prevent the protesters from burning a truck parked by the side of the East West highway, according to the local administration. More than one dozen protesters, including the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN)'s Saptari district committee President Dinesh Kumar Yadav, have been injured in police firing.
The protesters are now staging demonstrations by putting Raut's body in the middle of the road. They have also set a police beat on fire.
Tension was running in Saptari high with sporadic clashes between police and protesters from last Sunday when the Madhesi Front joined hands with the CPN-Maoist to enforce a two-day nationwide general strike. Although the strike was withdrawn on Monday, the Madhesi Front declared an indefinite general strike across the Tarai from Tuesday. In the western plains, another indefinite general strike called by the Tharuhat Struggle Committee is in its second week now.
The front has opposed the six-province federalism model agreed upon by the four major political parties on 8 August.
In January 2007, what initially appeared like a protest rally had turned into a massive Madhes uprising after a protester was shot dead by police in Siraha district. After the death toll reached 22, the then Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had agreed to amend the interim constitution and incorporated federalism in it.
There are fears that Saptari's shooting incident might lead to another Madhes movement. As protests over boundaries of federal provinces intensify, top leaders of the four major parties have decided to hold talks with the disgruntled parties by putting on hold the constitution writing process.
The Constituent Assembly (CA) is likely to revise its schedule of promulgating the new constitution by August end due to escalating protests.