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Three people have been killed in communal clashes between Hindu and Muslim groups in southern Nepal, prompting Prime Minister Balendra Shah to appeal for calm and national unity.
The violence erupted on Sunday in a village in Sunsari district near the Indian border following a dispute over loud music and religious flags during a Hindu religious procession, according to government officials.
The argument quickly escalated into violent clashes. Police opened fire to disperse the crowd, killing two people, police spokesman Abi Narayan Kafle said.
A third person was killed on Thursday during a protest in neighbouring Siraha district after demonstrators defied a curfew imposed by authorities.
To prevent further unrest, local authorities have enforced strict curfews in Sunsari and surrounding districts.
“We have kept all police personnel on the highest alert. Our goal is to protect lives and property and prevent further conflict with minimum use of force,” Kafle said.
Breaking months of public silence since taking office in March, Prime Minister Shah delivered his first major national address on Thursday, urging all citizens to exercise restraint.
“On behalf of the government, I sincerely appeal to all citizens, civil society, religious communities, political leaders, political parties and the responsible media to maintain patience and restraint and preserve peace, harmony, brotherhood and national unity,” he said.
Calling on people to act responsibly, Shah urged Nepalis to work together to “remove the clouds of unrest.”
The prime minister also pledged a “completely fair and transparent” investigation into the violence and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.
Police said security forces remain deployed across the affected areas to restore order and prevent further violence.
Nepal, a Himalayan nation where nearly 80 per cent of the population is Hindu, has a sizeable Muslim community concentrated in several southern districts bordering India.
