Nepali Congress leader and former assistant minister Kesharman Roka and three others have been reported physically assaulted. The ex-minister and NC leader Dhruba Pun and Nepal Communist Party (NCP)'s Satman Pun and Puniraj Gharti Magar were beaten in course of the banda called in Rukumkot of Rukum (east). 

Chief District Officer Mitralal Sharma confirmed the incident in which the former minister suffered a minor injury in his neck and underwent medical treatment at the local medical facility. Roka said he had been in the district headquarters seeking a dialogue with agitators. Currently, Rukumkot is tense over the district headquarters issue.

Though the case regarding the dispute over the headquarters of Rukum (east) is under consideration, the debate is heating in the district. The group demanding that Rukumkot should be reinstated as the district headquarters have intensified the protest. 

Transport services and market have remained totally closed since Friday over the same issue. It may be noted that the Nepali Congress-led government on January 25 last year decided to shift the district headquarters at Golkhada of Putha Utterganga rural municipality. The Rukumkot folks have been agitating against such decision. A writ was filed at the Supreme Court on January 31 the same year against the decision of the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government. 

In response to the writ, the SC gave an interim order to ensure the status quo. The apex court verdict caused to détente, but fresh programmes of protests are in force since January 28 this year. RSS