Azernews.Az

Nepalese authorities on Friday imposed an indefinite curfew in parts of Saptari district in Madhesh province after protests broke out over the recent communal violence in neighbouring Sunsari. The move came as tensions continued in several districts, with curfews and prohibitory orders already in place in parts of Sunsari, Dhanusha and Siraha, taking the number of districts under curfew to four, AzerNEWS reports via IndiaToday.

President Ram Chandra Paudel and Prime Minister Balendra Shah expressed deep concern over the situation and appealed for calm, unity and restraint. Police said eight people had been arrested in Madhesh province for their alleged involvement in spreading communal violence, including five from Siraha and three from Dhanusha.

The District Administration Office in Saptari imposed the curfew in parts of Rajbiraj municipality from 8 am as a precaution after groups of people staged protests in response to the clashes. Authorities have stepped up security deployment in Nepal's southern Terai region along the Indian border as they try to contain tensions that have claimed three lives so far.

The violence began in Sunsari in Koshi province on Sunday, when members of two religious communities holding separate programmes clashed over the use of loudspeakers and the display of religious flags. Police intervened after a verbal altercation turned violent. One person was killed and more than a dozen people, including security personnel, were injured when police opened fire to disperse the clashing groups.