Police detained 40 banda enforcers from several places including three in Lalitpur. Normal life was affected across the country on Sunday due to a shutdown called by the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities demanding identity-based federalism.

Tarai districts, where Madhes-based parties have been enforcing a shutdown for two weeks, also remained shut. Shortage of daily essentials has been reported in places like Bharatpur due to the prolonged strike.

In Kathmandu, two people riding a motorcycle vandalised a bus (Ba 1 Kha 7344) belonging to Nepal Yatayat at Anamnagar, police said.

Effects of the banda were felt also in eastern Nepal where protesters, dressed in traditional attires, marched on major thoroughfares throughout the day.

In Okhaldunga, Dhankuta, Ilam and Dharan, markets remained closed and vehicles stayed off the road. Protesters vandalised one jeep and one motorcycle in Ilam for defying the call. A vehicle (Ko 1 Ja 1735) carrying the Annapurna Post daily was vandalised in Duhabi.

Protesters took out a rally in Hetauda where the banda was largely peaceful but markets, institutions and vehicles were not allowed to operate.

In Pokhara, youths associated with Bibeksheel Nepali took out a motorcycle rally at Lekhnath defying the banda. Elsewhere, vehicles stayed off roads and shops, schools and offices were shut.

Protesters took a dozen motorcycles and one car under control for defying their banda in Gulmi district headquarters Tamghas on Sunday morning. The act deterred others as no vehicles were seen on the road the rest of the day in major areas like Damauli, Khairenitar, Dhulegaunda, Bhimad and Abukhaireni.

Banke, Bardiya and Dang remained tense on Sunday due to sporadic clashes between protesters and police. In Banke, authorities issued a prohibitory order against protests and rallies in Nepalgunj. Protesters on Sunday evening had vandalised a police beat at Tribhuvan Chowk.

Around a dozen activists and two security personnel were hurt in the clash at the District Administration Office (DAO) in Bardiya. Tharuhat protesters and supporters of the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha had reached the DAO to padlock it.

Chief District Officer Binod Bahadur Kunwar said the protesters had started vandalism at the DAO by pelting stones. “The security personnel resorted to baton charge and lobbed a dozen teargas canisters to control the situation,” he said.

In Banke, an anti-banda rally sprung against the shutdown, leading to a clash with protesters in Nepalgunj. CDO Bed Prakash Lekhak said the citizens had protested spontaneously against the banda.

In Dang, protesters torched a motorcycle at Lamahi-5 and vandalised two vehicles on East-West Highway. Students demonstrated in Ghorahi against the banda on Sunday, urging party cadres not to obstruct their study for political reasons.

In Rukum, the District Administration Office issued a prohibitory order in district headquarters Musikot from Sunday evening in view of possible clashes. CDO Antar Bahadur Silwal said the order would be in effect in the vicinity of the DAO. The United Rukum Struggle Committee enforced the shutdown against the decision to split the district between two provinces.