BIRGUNJ, Nov 6 : Nepal's busiest entry point for goods from India has witnessed a new wave of unrest after police failed to clear a border blockade, the attempt only strengthening the resolve of protesters to fight the Himalayan nation's new constitution.
Knots of demonstrators gathered around piles of smoldering tires in Birgunj, the latest flashpoint in agitation across the southern Tarai-Madhes strip, speaking of their anger at a federal setup enshrined in the new basic law.
The lowlanders, many of them ethnically distinct from Nepal's hill and mountain groups, complain their region has been carved up, denying them a say in running the nation of 28 million as it seeks a new start after years of instability.
Stones and pieces of brick littered the streets around a clock tower on Thursday, marking where police had fought previous battles with protesters. Burned-out cars and motorbikes lay by the side of the road to the deserted bus station.      ?REUTERS