The Parsa District Administration Office on Monday clamped an indefinite curfew in Birgunj after tensions ran high in the metropolis following protests over Friday’s incident in Rautahat.

The Rautahat District Administration Office had on Saturday enforced an indefinite curfew order after a clash erupted during a procession to immerse an idol of goddess Saraswati in a local lake in ward 7 of Ishanath Municipality. The curfew remains in effect in the area to prevent any untoward incident.

Birgunj also imposed an indefinite curfew from 5pm on Monday after two different groups started protesting, raising the risk of a potential clash. Police in large numbers were deployed to prevent untoward incidents.

Chief District Officer Dinesh Sagar Bhusal issued the indefinite curfew order as per Section 6(a) of the Local Administration Act, 1971. The order has been issued for the

area up to Nagawa Chowk in the east, Tilawe bridge in the west, Parwanipur in

the north and Miteripul in the south of the metropolitan city.

No one will be allowed to hold gatherings, meetings, processions, rallies, or walk on the road during the period, the notice said. The notice stated that those violating the

curfew order would face punishment as per the law.

In Rautahat, the idol was finally immersed amid a tight curfew on Monday. The image of goddess Saraswati was left abandoned in the street for the past three days following the violent clash between two groups on Saturday. The idol was taken to the water body amid heightened security.

Representatives of various political parties, lawmakers, senior officials of security agencies were active to settle the dispute. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Nepal Police Yagya Binod Pokharel, who is also the chief of the Madhesh Province Police, Armed Police Force DIG Dipendra Shah, and National Investigation Department DIG Sanjaya Yadav are in Rautahat for the past two days to take the situation under control.

“The immersion of Saraswati’s idol was possible after an all-party meeting held in Gaur, the district headquarters of Rautahat, reached a consensus on the matter earlier on Monday,” said Hiralal Regmi, the chief district officer of Rautahat.

The Rautahat District Administration Office had announced an indefinite curfew after the clash at Ghiuratole in ward 7 of Ishanath Municipality took a nasty turn on Saturday. Locals of the Ghiura settlement, who were heading in a procession towards a nearby lake to immerse an idol of goddess Saraswati as part of a religious ceremony, on Friday were obstructed by another group over allegations of playing loud music.

A large number of security personnel have been deployed in the area. “The all-party meeting has agreed to organise a goodwill march in Ghiura village. Situation has gradually turned to normalcy,” said Pokharel.

In various places in the Tarai, clashes often occur between groups during the immersion of idols of various gods and goddesses. Authorities claim they have no alternative to clamping curfew as a preventive measure to prevent violent confrontation.