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Kathmandu, Jan 6: The District Administration Office in Parsa prolonged the curfew in Birgunj until 8 AM on Tuesday after rising religious tension led to unrest. The move aims to keep the situation under control and prevent further violence.

Acting under Section 6(a) of the Local Administration Act 2028 BS, the administration has barred all movement and public activity inside the curfew area. This includes rallies, protests, meetings, sit-ins, and processions. The restricted zone stretches from the eastern bypass road to Sirsiya Bridge in the west, and from Power House Chowk in the north to Shankaracharya Gate in the south.

Authorities have asked residents to remain inside their homes unless there is an urgent need to go out. Security forces have been given the power to act firmly against anyone who breaks the curfew. People who must travel for essential reasons have been told to seek help from nearby security personnel.

The DAO said vehicles linked to essential services will be allowed to move during the curfew. These include ambulances, fire engines, hearses, vehicles used by health workers, journalists, tourists, human rights groups, diplomatic missions, and passengers heading to the airport with valid flight tickets.

Tension gripped Birgunj throughout Monday after protests by members of two religious communities. The trouble traces back to an incident in Kamala Municipality 6 of Dhanusha, where an unidentified group is accused of vandalizing a mosque in the Muslim settlement of Sakhuwa Madan and setting fire to a copy of the Quran on Saturday. News of the incident spread fast on social media, fueling anger.

On Sunday, members of the Muslim community held protests in Birgunj, demanding action over the incident. Later that night, Hindu groups organized a motorcycle rally, saying some statements made during the protest were offensive to their community.

Fresh demonstrations broke out early Monday, leading to brief scuffles between police and protesters. Muslim youths also took to the streets in areas such as Chhapkaiya and Murli despite the ban on gatherings. Police responded by detaining around two dozen people as tensions continued to rise. People’s News Monitoring Service