Communal Tension Eases in Gaur, Rautahat Following Peace Rally

Rautahat. Life is returning to normal in Gaur, the district headquarters of Rautahat, as the communal tension observed for the past few days begins to subside. The area, which had become tense after a dispute between two communities escalated into violence last Thursday night near the mosque in Sabagadh, Ward-6 of Gaur Municipality, over the issue of a wedding procession playing music, is now moving towards peace.

To fully control the situation and revive mutual trust, a massive peace and harmony rally was organized in Sabagadh on Monday under the leadership of civil society. Local administration, heads of security agencies, representatives of political parties, and the general public participated enthusiastically in the rally, expressing solidarity.

The rally, which started from the main road of Sabagadh and circled the affected settlements, conveyed a message of brotherhood, harmony, and coexistence. Participants expressed confidence that this rally would prove to be a milestone in rebuilding a friendly environment between the communities, dispelling the mistrust and suspicion that had spread for a few days.

As the tension escalated, the District Administration Office, Rautahat, had issued an indefinite curfew order starting from 1 PM on Saturday. However, following initiatives by civil society and improvements in the security situation, the administration relaxed the curfew from 6 AM to 10 AM on Monday.

The Chief District Officer informed that discussions are underway among security agencies regarding whether to lift the curfew completely or continue it after analyzing the security situation post-10 AM. With the relaxation of the curfew, hustle and bustle has resumed in the markets and on the streets.

The harmony rally, led by Civil Society Chairman Jagannath Prasad Kesari, was attended by Chief District Officer Dinesh Sagar Bhusal, Battalion Commander of Narayan Dal Ganesh Colonel Bishwas Bisht, SP of Nepal Police Sitaram Rijal, SP of Armed Police Ramhari Adhikari, and Deputy Director of National Investigation Kumar Budhathoki, among others. Local leaders appealed to everyone not to fall for any kind of incitement and to refrain from activities that could disrupt social harmony.