Police fired warning shots during a demonstration organised by the Dalit Struggle Committee in Janakpur on Thursday.

The demonstration was launched demanding justice for Raju Sada, a teenager who died without treatment at an isolation facility in Dhanusha, and Shambhu Sada, who died in police custody.

The committee organised a protest rally starting from Pidari Chowk demanding legal action against the guilty and employment for the family members of the deceased.

Police lobbed some tear gas canisters and fired warning shots as they tried to disperse the protesters near Madhesh Bhawan. The committee planned to protest in front of the Chief Minister’s Office in Madhesh Bahwan and the District Administration Office. They were scheduled to hold a corner meet at Janak Chowk later.

According to police, they had acted after the protesters tried to enter the Chief Minister’s Office and tried to vandalise property.

On June 11, Raju Sada, 16, of Ward 7 in Hanshapur Municipality, was admitted to the isolation ward of Janakpur Provincial Hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus in a Rapid Diagnostic Test. He died there on June 23. Doctors denied Raju treatment suspecting coronavirus after he developed symptoms of diarrhea but his samples tested negative for Covid-19 in reports made public after his death.

Shambhu Sada, who was arrested in a road accident case, died in the custody of the Sabaila Area Police.

Police also arrested a journalist from the protest site.