Deputy Mayor of Gujara Municipality Attacked, Vehicle Vandalized

Rautahat. The Deputy Mayor of Gujara Municipality in Rautahat has been assaulted. Furthermore, her vehicle was vandalized. Deputy Mayor Ratna Lama stated that the assault occurred on Monday within the premises of the municipality office.

She alleged that a group of local women from Ward No. 1, at the behest of Mayor Santalal Chaudhary, came to the office premises and subjected her to beating and abuse. According to Lama, prior to this, the Mayor's brother-in-law and nephew had stopped her vehicle, bearing license plate Province 2-03-001 Jha 0021, at the Lamaha river located on the border of Gujara-1 and 9, and vandalized it. She claimed that after reaching the municipality, the assault took place within the office premises.

Deputy Mayor Lama stated that the Mayor's faction had pressured her to register a new dealer for the distribution of fertilizer through a cooperative in Ward No. 1, but she had instructed them to proceed only according to the law. She claimed that the attack on her and the vandalism of her vehicle were due to this issue.

She informed that she would file a written complaint at the Area Police Office, Chandranigahpur, today demanding investigation and action regarding the incident.

Gujara Municipal Executive Member Vijay Sah Baniya alleged the involvement of the Mayor's faction locals and relatives in the incident and demanded action against the guilty parties.

On the other hand, Mayor Santalal Prasad Chaudhary claimed he had no involvement in the incident. He stated that the incident occurred when farmers expressed anger over not receiving fertilizer on time, and the situation escalated because the Deputy Mayor was not restrained.

DSP Rupa Labung of the Area Police Office, Chandranigahpur, stated that they received verbal information about the incident and an investigation is underway.

In the 2079 local level elections, Mayor Chaudhary was elected for his second term from the JSP, while Deputy Mayor Lama was elected from the Nepali Congress.