Strikes throw life out of gear in Dang

DANG, July 1: Kin of three persons killed in a road accident on Wednesday staged demonstration for compensation by placing the bodies of the deceased in the middle of the road. The demonstration brought vehicular movement along Tulasipur-Lamahi section of the highway to a complete halt.[break]



The agitating group vandalized the transport office at Bus Park on Wednesday to enforce their banda.



Irate protesters also set the bus that killed their kin to fire, leaving the bus completely destroyed. The agitators also vandalized a fire brigade that was on way to local Katuwakhola to douse the fire in the bus.



Two persons, Dipendra B K, 27, of Dhikpur VDC-4 and Anju B K, 30, of Ram VDC-4 in Dang -- were killed when the passenger bus (Na 3 Kha 4901) hit their motorcycle they were riding at Ghorahi Municipality-4, Katuwakhola, on Tuesday. Likewise, the bus that went out of control after the accident also killed a pedestrian Raju Budha, 30, of Phursekhali area in Ghorahi Municipality on the spot.



Two other critically injured pedestrians -- Nokh Bahadur Budha, 23, and Prem Bahadur Budha, 35, of Phursekhali of Ghorahi Municipality -- are currently undergoing treatment in Nepalgunj.



Meanwhile, vehicles stayed off the roads and schools and health institutions remained closed due to the strike called by health professionals over the attack against Dr Ishwor Raj Devkota, a medical officer with Rapti Zonal Hospital in Tulasipur. Health institutions remained shut.



An unidentified group who came on motorcycle had attacked Dr Devkota while he was treating patients in Dirghayu Polyclinic on Monday night, according to Dr Kedar Senchuri, the coordinator of the struggle committee. Dr Devkota received serious bruises as the assailants punched fists on his face.



The agitating health professionals have demanded immediate action against the guilty involved in the incident.



Also, the Tulsipur-Hapure section of the road remained closed for the sixth day in a row on Wednesday. The road has been obstructed by kin of Santosh Oli, who died after falling off the roof of a jeep (Na 1 Jha 1376) last Thursday. The agitating parties also obstructed Tulsipur-Ghorahi, Tulsipur-Salyan and Tulsipur-Ameliya section of the roads from Wednesday.



Meanwhile, talks held between the parties concerned in Tulsipur ended inconclusively on Wednesday after the victim´s family demanded Rs 125,000 compensation while the Taxi Committee agreed to provide only Rs 115,000.

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