KATHMANDU: A bandh called by the Inter-Party Struggle Committee for the MukKumlung Protection and Cable Car Cancellation had a partial impact in eastern Nepal, leading to clashes in Jhapa.
On Sunday, tension escalated in Damak-6’s Ganatantra Chowk when police clashed with a group led by Federal Democratic National Front Chair Kumar Lingden.
Protesters, numbering around a hundred, attempted to block the road by burning tires. When police tried to intervene, they responded by throwing stones, prompting officers to fire tear gas.
Several vehicles, including a Scorpio (Me 1 Cha 5161), were damaged in the clashes. Damak Area Police Office detained three protesters, including Padam Begha, for attempting to seize vehicle keys.
Meanwhile, protesters also obstructed the Mechi Highway in Buddhashanti-4 by felling trees but later cleared the blockade, allowing traffic to resume.
The bandh, affecting nine districts—including Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Tehrathum, and Sankhuwasabha—has disrupted daily life.
The committee has been protesting the Pathibhara cable car project since mid-January. A previous clash on January 25 left over 24 injured, with three protesters seriously wounded by police gunfire.
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