Terai out to defy second day of Madhesi strike Kantipur Report KATHMANDU, March 7 - Life in the eastern regions was affected on the second day of the indefinite general strike announced by the agitating Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF). In various places, however, locals defied the forum's strike which had begun yesterday in 22 Terai districts, demanding home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula's resignation and the formation of a high level probe commission to investigate into the government crackdown on last month's violent unrest spearheaded by the MPRF. Vehicles plied the streets in Sunsari's Itahari, Jhumka and Tarahara. The Police last night escorted a convoy of some 50 long distance bus, trucks and private vehicles up to Koshi barrage. Likewise, long and short distance vehicles languishing in Itahari and surrounding cities due to the strike would be escorted up to west of the Koshi barrage today, Officer Bishwa Mani Pokhrael of Area Police office, Itahari said. Passenger and cargo carriers from Itahari bound for eastern hilly districts like Dharan, Kakarbhitta, Dhankuta, Ilam, Panchthar, Taplejung and Terhathum resumed normal operations today. Itahari Bus Park saw heightened activity today after the police assured of security escort service to vehicles willing to ply during the strike. Locals in Bardiya today defied the forum's strike announcement with markets remaining open in district headquarters Gulariya, Ghoregaun, Sanoshree and Rajapur. Likewise, education institutions in the area too remained open. Although short distance vehicles ran normally, long-distance buses and trucks remained grounded because of the barricades put up by the protestors in Banke. Although effect of the strike was felt in headquarters Gaur of Rauthat, locals in Chandranigahapur defied the strike announcement. Rupandehi too remained free from the effects of the strike. Meanwhile, life in Nawalparasi and Kapilvastu was affected due to the banda. The police today conducted traffic on the Bardhaghat-Sunwol road by providing security escorting. Meanwhile, the south western city of Nepalgunj was also affected by the strike with market places shut down and transport services halted in the city centre. Forum members had begun obstructing traffic since early morning by burning tyres in the Airport Chowk. Likewise, Bara district too faced the consequences of the strike with market and transport in headquarters Kalaiya closed. However, vehicles plied normally in Pathlaiya-Neejgadh and Pathlaiya-Hetauda roads. Traffic and markets remained closed in regions with the forum's clout including Sunsari's Inaruwa and Duhabi, Morang's Biratnagar, Rangeli, Mader, Siraha, Lahan, Saptari's Hanumannagar and Rajbiraj. Forum activists vandalise ambulance, trucks Forum activists in Morang's Baansbari today vandalized an ambulance belonging to the Rural Women's Awareness Center which was ferrying a patient from Dharan to Biratnagar. As a result, ambulance drivers today launched an ambulance strike protesting against the vandalism by parking ambulances across the road at Munalpath in Biratnagar's in addition to staging a sit-in at the district administration building. Likewise, rickshaw pullers have also staged protests in Biratnagar against activities like slashing tires and vandalism of rickshaws by forum members. Meanwhile, 10 persons were injured in Mahottari's Mahendra chowk after a scuffle ensued between forum members and entrepreneurs defying the strike. An irate group of entrepreneurs had vandalized furniture inside Jaleshwor office of the MPRF in addition to torching a motorcycle. Likewise, the activists also torched two trucks in Sunsari's Inaruwa. However, due to timely intervention by fire fighters the trucks weren't completely damaged. Previously, the forum had said that it would allow essential services including ambulances, press and others to work unobstructed. Earlier today, locals in Bargachi chowk of Biratnagar today chased off forum activists enforcing the strike announcement by brandishing swords and sticks. Meanwhile, a group calling itself members of the MPRF Tuesday night robbed a house at Biratnagar-16. A group of six who had broken into the house saying that they needed to "search the building" made away with a mobile set, Rs 15,000 in cash and jwellery, victim Urmila Rai said. Posted on: 2007-03-07 02:34:11 (Server Time)