DRUG DEALER KILLED IN POLICE FIRE

BIRGUNJ: One person was killed in police gunfire that in a clash between
the police and hashish dealers on Thursday night in Mahadevpatti VDC,
Parsa.

A police team from Suwarnapur Police Office which was mobilised after
receiving information that a large amount of hashish was being smuggled in
a tractor engaged in a clash with the drug dealers. Asharfi Mahato Kewat,
32, of Janaki Tola VDC who was injured in the gunfire died on the way to
hospital, informed police inspector Bhuwaneshwor Shah. Shah claimed that
the police team was compelled to open fire in retaliation after the
dealers began shooting at them. The tractor used by the dealers is in
police custody.

In contradiction to the police claim, the locals said that the police
killed Mahato in their custody after a disagreement. The locals further
claimed that the drug dealers are being protected by the police themselves
in return for a hefty bribe and when they fail to pay the requisite amount
such incidents were not uncommon.