Maoist, MJF activists vandalise state minister's vehicle

KANTIPUR REPORT

SIRAHA, SEP 17 - UCPN (Maoist) activists continued to hound the government ministers on Thursday as well. This time the target was Tourism State Minister Shatrughn Prasad Singh Koiri, and the Maoist cadres were not the only one in the act. Supporters of Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) joined the fray.

Activists of the UCPN (Maoist) and MJF pelted stones at the state minister’s car while he was visiting a Siraha-based Nepal Electricity Authority’s office to lay the foundation stone of a temple.

The car that belonged to the Siraha District Development Committee was smashed up in the incident. Protesters also waved black flags at state minister Koiri.

A brief scuffle broke out between police and demonstrators, in which eight people were hurt.

“We resorted to baton-charge after the protesters began hurling stones at the car carrying the state minister,” said Superintendent of Police (SP) Suraj KC.

The Maoist side claimed that the party activists were not involved in hurling stones at the state minister. “It was the forum activists who started throwing stones. The Maoist activists were just waving black flags at him,” said Harinarayan Chaudhary, Siraha in charge of the UCPN (Maoist).

SP Suraj KC, however, claimed both MJF and UCPN (Maoist) cadres pelted the state minister’s vehicle with stones.