Tension has gripped Laxmipur-Kodraha area of Nawalpur-Malangwa road section in Sarlahi following the death of a local by police beating.

Ijhar Kamariya, 50, of Laxmipur Kodraha4 died after the armed police force baton charged the locals who were staging a protest by obstructing the vehicular movement demanding maintenance of electricity supply in the village on September 9.

Demanding action against the culprit policeman, the locals are protesting by keeping the body of the deceased in the middle of the street. The protest has obstructed vehicular movement in the area between Nawalpur and Malangwa. Police in large number has been deployed in the area for security.

The locals of Laxmipur Kodraha had taken to street after the locals of Haripur seized the electrical transformer which was being taken to Lakshmipur Kodraha after repair, an eye witness said, adding that the incident occurred as police used force to remove the obstruction. Locals of Laxmipur Kodraha were compelled to live in dark since 2 months after the transformer was damaged.

The police fire 25 rounds of bullets in air and few shells of tear gas to contain the situation. A local UML leader Jamaruddhin and few others were injured in the incident. Irate locals had torched a police vans (Ba1Jha 74 and Ba1Jha 75) belonging to Area Police office, Barhathaba which were carrying prisoners towards Malangawa.

Meanwhile, the District Administration Office would recommend a compensation of 100,000 rupees to the deceased's family. This was decided in a meeting that took place till late night on September 9 between the victim's family and the police administration. Vehicles have started operating in the Nawalpur-Malangawa road section following the agreement.