MAHOTTARI: Police have opened fire after locals obstructed the East-West Highway on Tuesday afternoon protesting the murder of a girl from Bardibas Municipality-14, Shubham Basti.

Police opened fire after locals started pelting stones and setting fire to the house of the accused.

Three persons have been injured in the firing. Ram Karki, Sanjay Neupane, and Aftab Alam have sustained bullet injuries and are undergoing treatment at Shubha Swastik Hospital.

Locals have staged the protest saying that a 6-year-old who has been missing since Sunday evening was murdered after a rape.

The law enforcement agency said they were compelled to open fire after the protest continued despite lobbing a dozen shells of teargas canisters.