Sunsari protests are showing no sign of slowing down. Demonstrators kept the East-West Highway blocked for a second straight day on Tuesday, even as the district administration eased the curfew imposed on Dewanganj and Harinagar after Sunday night’s deadly clash in Kaptanganj.

Vehicles heading west from Itahari were held up for hours. Sunsari protests (Protesters) lit tyres along several stretches of the Mahendra Highway’s Sunsari section, part of the wider unrest triggered by a fatal police shooting earlier in the week.

How the Sunsari Protests Started

The unrest traces back to a clash between two community groups in Kaptanganj, Ward 3 of Dewanganj Rural Municipality, on Sunday night. Security personnel moved in to break up the fighting. In the process, police opened fire, fatally striking a young local resident. Nine others were wounded by gunfire, with one reported in critical condition. The death quickly became a flashpoint. Within hours, the district administration office imposed an indefinite curfew across five sensitive market areas: Harinagar, Bhutaha, Kaptanganj, Ghuski, and Dewanganj. The order restricted movement and public gatherings in an effort to head off further violence.

Highway Blockade Despite Restrictions

The curfew did little to stop demonstrations. Protesters defied the restrictions throughout Monday, and the unrest spread beyond Kaptanganj into Laukahi and Phulchowk.The situation escalated to the point that authorities called in the Nepali Army, after Nepal Police and Armed Police Force reinforcements weren’t enough to contain the crowds. Sunsari Police spokesperson DSP Chandra Bahadur Khadka confirmed that protesters shut down sections of the highway between Pakali and the Koshi Barrage area. Local administration officials halted all vehicles traveling west from Itahari as a result.Demonstrations weren’t limited to the highway corridor. Crowds also gathered in Biratnagar’s market area, where residents voiced broader frustration with how the government handled the incident.

Sunsari protests demonstrators burn tyres on East-West Highway in Kaptanganj

Political Fallout and Security Questions

The clash has quickly become a political flashpoint in Kathmandu as well. Main opposition party Nepali Congress accused the government of failing to maintain law and order. NC President Gagan Kumar Thapa went further, publicly questioning why the situation was allowed to escalate to the point that security forces opened fire on civilians, and demanded an independent, credible probe.

The government’s own response has been mixed. Home Minister Sudan Gurung chaired a high-level security review at Singha Durbar with the Home Secretary and the chiefs of both Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force to be briefed on how the violence unfolded and how security agencies responded. Separately, Minister for Health and Food Safety Nisha Mehta appealed to the public to avoid spreading unverified information and urged all communities to maintain restraint and social harmony during the sensitive period.

Sunsari protests block East-West Highway traffic near Itahari

Investigation Underway

The Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a five-member probe committee to investigate the shooting. Joint Secretary Bhupendra Thapa is leading the panel. The committee has been tasked with determining exactly how the shooting occurred and who should be held accountable. Its findings are expected to shape both the government’s next steps and public trust in how the incident is handled.

What Happens Next

The situation along the highway remains fluid. While curfew hours have eased, sporadic disruptions to traffic and continued protest activity suggest tensions in Sunsari and Morang are far from fully resolved. Local authorities say they’re monitoring the market areas closely and will reassess restrictions depending on how the coming days unfold. For now, commuters and transport operators along the East-West Highway should expect continued delays and possible detours around the Sunsari section.

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