Kapilvastu toll more: Locals [ 2007-9-21 ] By Our Correspondent Kapilvastu, Sept. 20: Eighteen people have been confirmed killed in the riots that started at different parts of Kapilvastu after Abdul Moit Khan was shot dead by unidentified persons on September 16. A team of the representatives of the National Human Rights Commission, human rights activists and journalists that visited the area said that at least 30 others were still missing. However, local people suspect the number of deaths could be more. The human rights team found severed heads, rotting bodies and some were burnt beyond recognition and buried. Some bodies were also thrown in sugarcane field. The local administration lifted curfew in some Kapilvastu from 6 to 6 during the day but again imposed the ban for the night. But in Chandrauta there is still round the clock curfew. Two more persons were killed in a clash between two factions at Chandrauta Thursday. Twelve persons, five of them policemen, were injured. The preliminary estimation has put the total damages to physical properties at Rs. 2.5 billion. Most of those who died are of Bishunpura VDC and more than 40 people in the village are still missing. In Birpur, Chandrauta also at least 12 people, including five women and a five-year-old boy are still missing. Life in Birpur, Krishnanagar, Chanai, Bishanpur, Shivapur, Patthardehiya, Ganeshpur, Gugauli and others VDCs has still not come to normal. More than 5,000 people in those villages are displaced from their villages and are taking refuge outside the village. About 3,000 of them are taking refuge in the base camp of the Armed Police Force at Gorusinghe and Chandrauta. According to local people, about 150 Muslim families, who were also displaced, are taking refuge at Jawabhari and about 500 more have crossed over to India. Today, families of the dead, displaced and the victims of the riot tried to attack parliamentarians Dip Kumar Upadhyaya of NC (D), Dan Bahadur Chaudhary of UML and Ramlotan Chaudhari of CPN-Maoist in Charauta. The irate people said they do not want leaders who cannot protect them. The MPs were saved from people and were taken to the APF base camp. The people also attacked several journalists who had reached there. The journalists were escorted by the APF towards Butwal. The victims said the journalists did not do anything for them. They also obstructed vehicles on the Mahendra Highway. Their grouse was the state has also been treating them as refugee from outside. More than 500 houses were torched, looted and vandalised and about 5000 people have fled after mobs led by Nagendra Upadhyaya, Niruddin Musalman, Pataraku Kalwar, Raju Dhoni, Munik Mushalman, all supporters of Moit Khan created mayhem at Birpur, Chandrauta and other areas of Kapilvastu. Many of those killed are people of hill origin and local people said there were also cases of rape. Dozens of people were also injured and they are being treated at Lumbini Zonal Hospital and local clinics, chief district officer Narendra Dahal.