The strike has effectively shutdown transportation, factories, industries and educational institutes here with irate UDMF cadres taking out demonstrations from early morning hours. The Front cadres enforced the shutdown of marketplaces in Saptari’s district headquarters of Rajbiraj including Bhardaha, Kanchanpur, Rupani and Kalyanpur bazaars along the East-West Highway.

On Monday, police fired at the UDMF cadres who were attempting to disrupt the Mechi – Mahakali National Campaign of CPN (UML) killing three and injuring 24 others. They are undergoing treatment at the Dharan – based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences and Gajendra Narayan Singh Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital in Rajbiraj.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress lawmakers Sakal Dev Sutihar and Ranjit Kumar Karna today issued separate statements condemning the police firing in the strongest of words. The lawmaker duo have accused UML of trying to disrupt independence in name of national campaign and called for a halt to such anarchic activities in any district. They have sought action against the guilty after thorough investigation into the incident.

Likewise, CPN (Maoist Centre) leader and Saptari constituency – 1 lawmaker, Manpur Chaudhary, has also denounced the incident and called for action against the guilty. RSS