An elderly woman died in a stampede following a clash between police personnel and the locals in Birpur of Saptari district on Monday. The incident occurred as security personnel were taking action against the locals who defied the ongoing nationwide lockdown and gathered in the market place.

Jainab Khatun of Khadak Municipality Ward No.6 collapsed in the street when the crowd began running amok amid police’s crackdown. She was taken to Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital where she died in the course of treatment. Her body is kept at the hospital for postmortem.

Khatun’s relatives claimed that she died due to the highhandedness of the security personnel. The Area Police Office in Kalyanpur, however, said the victim was a high blood pressure patient and that might have caused her death.

Mohammad Ekbal, a ward member of Khadka Municipality, said Khatun lost consciousness when the crowd started running and did not come to when the police started baton charging.

“Khatun fell unconscious but the police kept on baton charging,” said Ekbal.

Khatun’s sisters-in-law, Chunni and Kabulan, who also sustained injuries in the incident, said policemen mercilessly baton-charged women in the market place. Chunni and Kabulan are receiving treatment at a local hospital in Kalyanpur.

Tilak Bharati, deputy superintendent of police at the District Police Office in Saptari, said they are investigating the incident.

“We can comment on the incident only after we carry out a detailed investigation,” said Bharati.

Meanwhile, a scuffle ensued between security forces deployed at the border point in Siraha Municipality and locals of Mahuliya in Bihar, India on Monday. A group of locals from Mauhilya attacked Armed Police Force (APF) personnel when the latter prevented an Indian national from entering Nepal through the border point. An APF constable sustained injuries in the incident.

According to Prabin Kandel, superintendent of police at the APF Battalion 7, the security personnel at the border had stopped Rajendra Kumar Yadav of Mahuliya from entering Nepal and sent him back. Yadav had attempted to cross the border on a bicycle at around 11 am.

“A group of 20 people from Mahuliya gathered at the no-man’s-land and hurled bricks and stones at APF personnel,” said Kandel. According to him, APF constable Rajan Kumar Chaudhary, who sustained head injuries in the incident, is receiving treatment at Siraha Hospital.

Security personnel detained Mohan Kumar Yadav of Mahuliya for his alleged involvement in the incident.

Saroj Prasad Guragain, the chief district officer of Siraha, said a detailed investigation into the incident was underway.