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A senior officer said police opened fire on crowds in the town of Nepalgunj, where protests continued despite a curfew imposed on Sunday afternoon. -- PHOTO: AFP
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KATHMANDU - ONE person was killed and at least 59 were injured Sunday in violent ethnic protests in southern Nepal, police said.
A senior officer said police opened fire on crowds in the town of Nepalgunj, where protests continued despite a curfew imposed on Sunday afternoon.
'Somebody in the crowd opened fire at us, so we fired back to try to contain the crowd,' Ghanashyam Bhatta said from the town on Nepal's southern border with India.
'One protester was killed, and 30 were injured,' Mr Bhatta said, adding that 29 police officers were also injured in the clashes.
The unrest came on the fifth day of a general strike called across southern Nepal by the United Democratic Mahadhesi Front (UDMF) to push for more representation in federal politics.
'Nepalgunj was tense from early morning and schools, businesses and government offices remained shut all day,' said Rudra Khadka, an editor with local Satyapatra daily in Nepalgunj.
'The protests became more violent when the protesters tried to set fire to a government office,' Mr Khadka said.
The ethnic minority Mahadhesis have been calling for a greater voice in the country since the introduction in late 2006 of sweeping reforms set to end Nepal's status as the world's last Hindu kingdom.
More than 200 people died in 2007 in the southern Terai belt bordering India in targeted killings, protests and clashes.
Home to around half of Nepal's 27 million population, the Terai region is known as the country's bread basket and is where most fuel imports come through from its sole supplier, India.
The strike has caused nationwide food and fuel shortages. Last week the government invited the protesting groups for talks and on Saturday the UDMF said it had assembled a three-member negotiating team.
'We are hopeful as well as sceptical,' Anil Kumar Jha, the coordinator of the UDMF talks team said.
'The prime minister confirmed to us last Friday that he will fulfil all the demands but went on to say the next day that he is not ready for all the demands,' said Mr Jha.
The protests come ahead of already twice delayed constituent assembly polls in April that will decide the political future of Nepal. --AFP
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