A teenage boy died and 24 people were injured when police fired at locals protesting over the rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Panta, in Mahendranagar on Friday.

The Mahakali Zonal Hospital identified 14-year-old Sunny Khuna of Bhagatpur in Mahendranagar as the victim. The bereaved family also confirmed the death. Family members said that Khuna died while being taken to Dhangadhi for treatment.

Seven people sustained injuries as police shot at protesters during the clash. Seventeen demonstrators injured in the clash are receiving care at the Mahakali Zonal Hospital. Some of the police personnel also got injuries.

Police are said to have fired over 30 rounds to contain the situation. Following the incident, the District Admini-stration Office clamped a curfew in the Mahendranagar area and its vicinity from 8pm on Friday until further notice.

The protests, which began late last month after the teenager was found dead, intensified on Friday after police fired at protesters outside the Kanchanpur DAO, demanding probe and action against those guilty of raping and murdering Nirmala.

Kanchanpur locals stepped up protests after police presented a mentally challenged person as the main suspect. They accused police of presenting the fake suspect to protect the perpetrators. The Bhimdutta Municipality, which remained calm until 1pm on Friday, became a virtual battleground after 2pm. Nirmala’s body was found in a sugarcane field in Bhimdutta Municipality on July 27, a day after she went missing.

Probe team at work

The high-level committee headed by Joint-secretary Hari Prasad Mainali is in Mahendranagar to look into the case. On Friday, the team held an internal meeting at the District Administration Office. “We have started investigation,” said coordinator Mainali, adding that the team would also interact with the victim’s side, the CIB team, locals, and political parties.