Govt directs officials to suppress protests against Rautahat priest murder

File: Ministry of Home Affairs

Kathmandu, August 27

The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed district administration offices and district police offices across the country to suppress likely protests against the murder of a priest in Rautahat of southern Nepal last week.

Shree Ram Sah, the priest of Hanuman Temple, in Khesrahariya, Madhav Narayan-2 of the district, was shot dead by unidentified persons on August. The police in the district are yet to nab the murderers.

Peace, Security and Crime Control Section of the Ministry of Home Affairs has recently written a letter addressing Nepal Police Inspector General Shailesh Thapa Chhetri and all district ministration offices secretly, directing them to suppress ‘any untoward incident’ in relation to the murder. The ministry notes that people in some districts staged protests and submitted memorandums to authorities demanding action against the murderers.

The circular has also warned that action would be taken against those involved in untoward activities.

Whereas social media users have objected to the circular saying it violated people’s right to peaceful protests, the ministry’s information officer Prem Lal Lamichhane, however, says instructing the agencies to look at the issues sensitively is normal.