Kathmandu. 21-year-old Rabindra Mehta, who was critically injured by gunshot in a clash at Dewanganj in Sunsari, passed away during treatment at T.U. Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu.
Mehta, a resident of Dewanganj Rural Municipality-3, passed away on Tuesday during treatment. He was critically injured after being hit in the left thigh by a bullet fired by security personnel while controlling a dispute between two groups on Saun 10. After initial treatment in Biratnagar, he was brought to Kathmandu for further treatment when his condition turned complex.
With the passing of Rabindra Mehta, the number of people who lost their lives in the Dewanganj incident in Sunsari and the subsequent protests has reached four.
Earlier, 25-year-old Omprakash Mehta of Dewanganj-4 died at the scene, while 22-year-old Jaiprakash Mehta of Dewanganj-3, who was injured, died during treatment in Biratnagar. Ganesh Yadav was also killed by a gunshot during a protest in Siraha protesting the incident.
Heightened Anger at Hunger Strike Site
Following the death of another youth injured in the Dewanganj incident, Rastriya Ekta Dal Chairman Binaya Yadav, who is on a fast-unto-death at Maitighar in Kathmandu, and rights activists have grown further enraged. Demanding action against the guilty, compensation for the victim families, and an impartial investigation into the incident, Yadav has been on a fast-unto-death for the past few days.
Earlier on Tuesday itself, top Madhesi leaders visited the hunger strike site and strongly urged the government to protect the life of the fasting Yadav and find a long-term solution to the issue through dialogue. As the sequence of deaths among the injured continues to rise, the local administration and security agencies have adopted high alertness keeping potential tension in mind.
