Kathmandu: Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah has appealed for calm after deadly clashes between Hindu and Muslim communities in the country’s south left three people dead and prompted authorities to impose curfews across multiple districts.
The violence broke out on Sunday in a village in Sunsari district, near the Indian border. A dispute over loud music and religious flags during a Hindu procession triggered the clashes between members of the two communities. Police opened fire to disperse the crowd, killing two men, according to police spokesman Abi Narayan Kafle. A third man died on Thursday during a protest in the neighbouring Siraha district, despite a curfew being in place.
Authorities have since imposed curfews across Sunsari and adjoining districts to prevent further violence.
Shah, who had rarely appeared in public since taking office in March, broke his silence on Thursday with his first major address to the nation. He urged citizens, civil society, religious communities, political parties and the media to exercise patience and restraint.
“I, on behalf of the government, sincerely appeal to the citizens, civil society, religious communities, all respected leaders, all political parties and responsible media, to exercise patience and restraint and maintain peace, harmony, brotherhood and national unity,” Shah said.
He promised a “completely fair and transparent” investigation and assured that those responsible would be brought to justice.
Police say they are working to restore order. “We have kept all police officials in the field on alert and are trying to protect public property and prevent any conflicting situation with minimal use of force,” Kafle told a news agency.
Hindus make up approximately 80 percent of Nepal’s population. The southern regions, however, have sizeable Muslim communities, and tensions over religious practices have periodically flared in these areas.
The clashes drew widespread concern both within Nepal and internationally, given the fragile nature of communal relations in the region. Officials have urged residents to cooperate with law enforcement and avoid actions that could escalate the situation further.
