The Sunsari District Administration Office on Friday imposed curfew orders in five local units until further notice.

Earlier in the day, the district administration had enforced a prohibitory order in Harinagar Rural Municipality and wards 1 and 7 of Dewanganj Rural Municipality from 12pm following a clash between two groups.

Later, as tension mounted, the administration widened the curfew by including additional local units.

“To prevent untoward incidents, the order has been enforced in Harinagar, Bhokraha Narsingh, Dewanganj and Koshi rural municipalities, plus Inaruwa Municipality that also includes the district headquarters,” said Acting Chief District Officer Dev Raj Phuyal.

The decision to impose a prohibitory order was taken after a clash ensued between two groups after a youth was allegedly physically assaulted in Bhutaha in ward 1 of Harinagar Rural Municipality.

On Thursday, local Jivan Mehta was injured during a physical altercation between two groups at the Harinagar-based Bal Krishna Secondary School.

The situation in the area was tense since early morning on Friday, after which the prohibitory order was clamped. Protesters had allegedly pelted stones after which the police fired some rounds into the air to control the unruly crowd.

Sixteen security personnel and seven demonstrators were injured in the clash. They were getting treatment in Biratnagar.

In the stated areas, all kinds of assemblies, processions, meetings, rallies, and gatherings have been banned without the prior permission of security agencies.

The notice issued by the administration has also instructed the authorities concerned to allow long-distance passenger vehicles and those carrying goods to ply the East-West Highway while monitoring their situation.

Superintendent of Police Bipin Regmi at the Sunsari District Police Office said the situation in the areas has improved after the enforcement of the curfew.

Of late, clashes between different groups have emerged as a security problem for local administrations.

Similar prohibitory orders were enforced in various districts in recent months.

The Parsa District Administration Office had clamped curfew for days in Birgunj in the third week of February after tensions ran high in the metropolis following protests over an incident in Rautahat.

In January first week, the local administration of another Madhesh district Sarlahi imposed a curfew in Barahathawa of the district after protests escalated over the demand for hospital and compensation.

The same district administration imposed prohibitory order in Malangawa, the Sarlahi district headquarters, in September last year in a bid to restore peace in the area following a clash between two local groups.

Likewise, the Sunsari District Administration Office had to clamp a prohibitory order in Dharan over fears of ethnic and religious violence in the city in August last year.