A 45-year-old man was shot and killed by Armed Police Force (APF) personnel night at Puri Tole in Koshi Rural Municipality-1, Sunari on Wednesday night. The incident has sparked intense local protests and heightened security concerns in the region.
What happened?
According to the District Police Office, Sunsari, the deceased has been identified as Bijaya Sah. The shooting occurred at approximately 1:10 am today while Sah was reportedly transporting 8 to 10 sacks of sugar from India into Nepal on his city safari, an electric rickshaw.
APF officials stated that the team was deployed to the border area specifically to curb illegal smuggling.
Conflicting accounts
There are currently two different versions of the events that led to the fatal shooting. DIG Kumar Neupane of the APF Itahari Headquarters stated that duty officers attempted to intercept two autos and an e-rickshaw carrying smuggled goods. He claimed the group refused to stop and instead attempted to ram the officers with their vehicles. DIG Neupane maintained that the police fired in self-defense. Two APF personnel, Navin Khadka and Yubraj Khatiwada, were reportedly injured in the clash.
Conversely, local residents have accused the security forces of using excessive force, claiming that the police opened fire directly at the individual under the guise of controlling smuggling without sufficient provocation.
Investigation amidst protests
Following the death, angry locals launched a protest against the APF’s actions. Demonstrators have refused to allow authorities to remove the body from the scene, demanding immediate action against the officers involved.
Chandra Bahadur Khadka, spokesperson for the District Police Office, Sunsari, confirmed that security has been significantly tightened in the area to prevent further violence.
A formal investigation into the circumstances of the firing has been initiated. DIG Nuupane is traveling to the site from Jhapa to oversee the situation.
The atmosphere at the incident site remains tense as authorities attempt to negotiate with the grieving community.
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