Reporter’s Diary: Driving into a divided landscape
Summary
A reporter describes driving into Kaptanganj, Sunsari, where communal violence, roadblocks, curfew, and security cordons made even a short trip from Biratnagar take hours. The account shows how Hindu-Muslim tensions shaped the dangerous reporting journey and the fear felt by locals and the journalists themselves.
Key Points
- The reporter traveled from Biratnagar to Kaptanganj, Sunsari, to cover violence linked to communal tensions in the Madhesh region.
- Roadblocks, curfew, burned tires, and crowds of teenagers and men made the 15-kilometer journey take nearly three hours.
- Residents in the Muslim neighborhood said no journalists or officials had come to hear their side of the conflict.
- Security forces, including Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and the Nepali Army, prevented the crowd from reaching the Muslim settlement.
