Life in Surkhet was affected on Sunday due to the general strike enforced by Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist.

A group of youths, who identified themselves as cadres of the party, set ablaze a factory belonging to Sarthak Foot Product in Pipira, Birendranagar-13, said the factory proprietor Tekraj Khatri. He claimed that the loss amounts to Rs1.2 million.

Packaging machine, mixture machine, filling machine, among others, have been destroyed in the fire.

Police said that they are investigating the incident. "We are trying to ascertain if the fire was set by banda enforcers or by other reasons," said District Police Spokesperson DSP Bahadur Jung Malla.

Besides thinly commuting motorcycles, long-distance vehicles plying on Surkhet-Dailekh road section and Ratna Rajmarg have come to grinding halt.

Banks, financial institutions, schools remained closed. However, it is learnt the government schools operated without any disturbances. Huge mass of police has been mobilised to prevent any untoward incident.

Police have took some banda enforcers under custody, it is learnt.

Banda enforcers torch truck, jeep

In Dhangadhi, protesters torched a truck (Se 1 Ka 437) heading to Attariya from Hetauda.

According to police, two people who came on a bike, set the truck ablaze.

Likewise, a bolero jeep heading towards Siraha from Kathmandu was torched at Chiyabari, Bhadrakali VDC-2, in Sindhuli today.

The jeep driver Ram Chandra Mahato said there were no passengers in the jeep.

Police said they are searching for the assailants and would apprehend them.

Schools, colleges and shops in Sindhuli that had opened have closed after this incident. RSS