Kathmandu, 23 February (HS): An indefinite curfew has been imposed in Birgunj city, near the Indian border, from Sunday afternoon amid fears of communal unrest between two communities.

According to police, tension escalated after a parking dispute in the Shripur area of Birgunj on Saturday night. A Hindu youth was allegedly attacked with a sword in a Muslim-majority locality, following which clashes broke out between members of the two communities. The confrontation reportedly continued for several hours before district authorities intervened and deployed security forces to bring the situation under control.

An eyewitness said the incident began when a youth was parking his motorcycle and was confronted by a group of local boys. After an argument, he was allegedly attacked with a sword and was immediately admitted to a hospital.

In response to the incident, members of the Hindu community staged protests at several locations in the city, leading to heightened tension. Reports of clashes between protesters and police were also received. Demonstrations continued in parts of the city on Sunday morning, creating an atmosphere of communal tension.

Birgunj Police spokesperson Hari Bahadur Basnet said the curfew order was issued to prevent any escalation of violence. He stated that restrictions have been imposed across the city to avert any untoward incident.

Earlier, a curfew had been imposed for three days in Gaur of Rautahat district following a separate communal dispute. The restriction was lifted on Sunday after a peace rally was organised by the administration.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar