Pathari area of Morang district became tense on Tuesday after locals took to the streets, saying that the police administration failed to control the increasing criminal activities in Pathari Shanischare area.

Police fired three warning shots to contain the situation after the agitating crowd started hurling stones at the Area Police Office.

Locals also obstructed vehicular movement, padlocked offices of Pathari Municipality and the Morang Chamber of Commerce. They had also staged a demonstration in the area on Monday.

People of Pathari Shanischare resorted to protest after Rina Basnet, who owned a cosmetics and gift shop and lived in a rented room at Tribenichok in Pathari Shanischare-1, was found dead under suspicious circumstances. Rina’s naked body was found outside her room on Saturday. She had returned home with her 13-year-old son at 11pm on

Friday (April 19) after attending a concert at a proposed stadium. Her husband is a migrant worker in Dubai.

Locals had informed the police after they saw the body on the road.

Following the death, police had detained Kamal Nepal, a resident of Sundar Haraicha-3, in connection with the incident after Rina’s phone call details showed that he used to call her regularly.

However, police have been saying that they have not found any proof that it was a case of murder.

Meanwhile, the locals and her relatives have been claiming that it was a premeditated murder. They have also accused the police administration of failing to conduct a serious investigation into Rina’s death.

Rina’s brother-in-law Durga Bahadur Basnet has claimed that an unknown gang murdered her.

The body has been taken to the BP Koirala Institute of Health and Sciences in Dharan for post-mortem.

A team of elected representatives led by Deputy Chief of Pathari Municipality Yamuna Bista and former Constituent Assembly member Chandi Prasad Rai on Tuesday met Area Police Chief Kamal Bajgain to inquire about Rina’s death.

In the recent months, at least seven bodies have been recovered in and around Pathari.

Locals claim that police have so far failed to solve any of the cases. Basnet’s death stirred the locals to protest against police failure to maintain peace and security.

Pathari-Chapter of Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lions Club of Pathari and Lions Club of Pathari-Young Hearts have submitted a memorandum to local police and municipality authorities, announcing phase-wise protest programmes.