Nepal's Parsa District Administration Office (DAO) has imposed strict prohibitory orders, effectively a curfew, in key areas of Birgunj Metropolitan City, bordering India, lasting until 8:00 am on Tuesday (January 6). Announced on Monday (January 5), the measures ban all gatherings, assemblies, processions, and demonstrations from 1:00 pm, aiming to quell rising communal tensions. Signed by Chief District Officer Bhola Dahal, the order invokes Section 6(3A) of the Local Administration Act, 2028, with violators facing immediate arrest and legal action.
Flashpoint zone defined
The restrictions blanket a sensitive 4-km stretch- from Bus Park in the east to Sirsia Bridge in the west, and Power House Chowk in the north to Shankaracharya Gate in the south. This hotspots corridor, pulsing with markets and transport hubs, becomes a no-go zone to prevent escalation amid fears of widespread clashes.
Spark from social media and mosque attack
Tensions ignited Saturday in Dhanusha district when youths vandalized a mosque, reacting to alleged anti-Hindu messages in a TikTok video by two Muslim youths- now in custody. Sunday saw Birgunj erupt: protesters torched tires, vandalised a local police post, and clashed with forces, spilling anger over the mosque incident. The video's religious content fueled protests that turned violent, prompting security lockdowns across Madhesh province, including Janakpur.
Security beefed up, broader fallout
Police and security forces flooded the streets, tightening vigilance to avert a repeat. The DAO's swift curfew underscores Nepal's fragile communal harmony, especially in border areas prone to rumor-fuelled flare-ups. With the situation tense but contained, authorities monitor social media to curb misinformation. The 8:00 am lift offers a brief reprieve, but extensions loom if calm doesn't hold- echoing past Indo-Nepal border frictions.
DAO appeals for restraint as investigations probe the video's origins and vandals. Community leaders urge dialogue, but the curfew signals zero tolerance for unrest. Birgunj's fate hangs in the balance till dawn.
