Himal Press 
The Fikkal-Kanyam section of Mechi Highway looks deserted due to obstruction on vehicular traffic.
ITAHARI: Pro-identity activists have obstructed vehicular movement on Mechi Highway to protest the arrest of two youths allegedly involved in the attack on CPN-UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai.
The protesters have halted motor vehicles from heading toward Ilam from Jhapa district. They have demanded the immediate release of the two individuals arrested by the police.
An unidentified gang had pelted stones at Bhattarai’s car near Phungling Buspark in Taplejung on Sunday. Following the incident, the police arrested Bipin Kangliwa Limbu and Ananda Kangliwa for investigation.
Pro-identity activists have taken to the streets to protest the naming of ‘Province 1’ as ‘Koshi Province’. The easternmost province of the country was named ‘Koshi Province’ by the Koshi Province Assembly when CPN-UML was leading the provincial government.
DSP Khagendra Prasad Rijal of District Police Office, Jhapa, said that the protesters are preventing motor vehicles from heading to Ilam in the Charali area. “However, we are escorting some motor vehicles toward Ilam,” he added.
Vehicular movement has also been disrupted on the Phidim-Taplejung and Ilam-Phidim sections of the Mechi Highway.
