One person died of bullet injuries when police fired live rounds apparently into the air to disperse demonstrators protesting against delay in salary payment at Simraungadh Municipality in Bara on Wednesday. Police also fired several rounds of teargas canisters to chase away the demonstrators.

Twenty-five-year-old Laxmi Mukhiya Bin of Nansagaradhant in ward 1 of Simraungadh who received bullet wounds to the back of his head, died on the spot, Chief District Officer of Bara Nawaraj Sapkota said. He was taken to Narayani Hospital in Birgunj for post-mortem.

Municipal staff and government school teachers had organised a protest outside the municipal office in Simraungadh against non-payment of their salaries. The unpaid employees have been protesting against the municipality for the past two months.

The municipal employees and the teachers have been deprived of their salaries for the past five months due to a dispute between Mayor Kishori Sah, who was elected from the Loktantrik Samajwadi Party ticket, and people’s representatives elected from the Nepali Congress.

Sah had earlier announced that the annual municipal council meeting had concluded, but Nepali Congress representatives, who have a majority in the local body, had questioned the legitimacy of the meeting and started a protest against the mayor.

Tensions ran high on Wednesday after the protesters allegedly attempted to attack Mayor Sah and Chief Administrative Officer Mahesh Mishra outside the municipal office. Sah’s vehicle was damaged in the clash, the municipality says.

Police had baton-charged the protesters, lobbed tear gas canisters, and fired bullets into the air to bring the situation under control, said Superintendent of Police Surendra Prasad Kafle.

“Forty-five tear gas canisters were lobbed, and 22 bullets were fired into the air to bring the situation under control,” Kafle said.

He claimed the security personnel on duty were compelled to take action as the demonstrators hurled stones at them. Ten police personnel sustained injuries in the clash, he said.

The mayor had been frequently absent from his office for the past two months while the chief administrative officer was transferred to Simraungadh Municipality from Pacharauta Municipality a week ago.

Sah had reached the municipal office on Wednesday to witness Mishra, the new chief administrative officer, take charge.