Army has been mobilized in four places of Saptari district in Province 2 to enforce the lockdown starting from Tuesday.
The Nepal Army (NA) soldiers have been mobilized after people continued movement at the time of lockdown. "Army has been mobilized for patrol in Rajbiraj, Hanumannagar, Rupani and Kalyanpur," communication officer with Saptari District Administration Office Ananda Thakur told Setopati. "The Nepal Army personnel from the Bhim Dal Battalion in Rajbiraj have been mobilized."
Thakur said the army has been mobilized in lack of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force (APF) persons. "APF has been mobilized at the border points since yesterday for border lockdown. We have demanded 100 Nepal Police and 332 APF personnel with the Home Ministry," he added. "The army will patrol until the Home Ministry sends reinforcements."
The high-level coordination committee to fight coronavirus pandemic headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ishwore Pokharel took the decision for nationwide lockdown Monday evening in light of the developments on the day.
Health Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal, organizing a press conference earlier on Monday, had confirmed a 19-year-old Nepali student returning from France via Qatar tested positive for the coronavirus.
