Nepal opposition obstructs house proceedings, demand probe in Sarlahi shootings

Jul 10, 2019

Kathmandu (Nepal), July 10 (ANI): Nepal's main opposition parties, including the Nepali Congress and the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal obstructed a meeting of the Lower House on Tuesday demanding probe into two incidents in Sarlahi the district last month, in which two people were killed. Protests in Sarlahi district erupted after a 12-year-old boy, identified as Saroj narayan Yadav, succumbed to death after drowning in a water-filled hole made by illegal sand extraction. The opposition also raised concerns over an encounter of a leader, identified as Kumar Paudel, belonging to the banned Communist Party of Nepal (CPN). House speaker on Tuesday had granted time to the opposition MP to speak after they stood from their respective seat marking protest after notice of the commencement of the meeting was announced. Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa claimed that protestor was mistakenly shot when the police had fired in the air because of the difference in elevation. Following the obstruction over the proceedings of the house, the speaker finally adjourned the session for 15 minutes to mediate a dialogue between the parties. The next meeting of the house has been called on Wednesday.