The Butwal Sub-metropolitan City has continued its campaign to remove street vendors and clear sidewalks. The campaign, which began after discussions with businessmen, the executive's decision, and the issuance of public notice, is also receiving support from the citizen level.

The campaign to clear sidewalks at Hospital Line and Bhudki Chowk on Wednesday received good publicity. Many businessmen also became aware. On Thursday, monitoring was conducted at Amarpath, BP Chowk, and Ram Mandir Line. On Friday, monitoring was conducted from Bus Park to Milan Chowk and to the intersection.

During the monitoring, the sub-metropolitan city, which gathered support for demolishing encroached structures and confiscating goods, received both positive and negative discussions and reactions regarding the scuffle at a businessmen's shop on Ram Mandir Line and the confiscated goods. The municipality, which has been aggressive for two days, presented itself with an awareness campaign on Friday. The municipality has stated that the campaign will resume on Monday as Saturday and Sunday are public holidays.

The campaign, which started from Hospital Line on Thursday, reached Jesus Chowk via Amarpath, BP Chowk, Ram Mandir Line. A team including Municipal Deputy Mayor Savitradevi Aryal and the Municipal Police and Nepal Police were monitoring the campaign. The campaign became a bit unusual when it reached Ram Mandir Line.

The Municipal Police, who were walking around picking up one or two items while alerting businessmen who had kept or hung their goods outside, were also moving forward from the CT Bag House on Ram Mandir Line like other shops. At that time, Vijay Rayamajhi, the operator of the Bag House, was pulling the 'Sunset' (sunscreen) installed in his shop to block the sun. At the same time, Rayamajhi attacked the Municipal Police from behind, who had also taken out a yellow-collared bag from his shop and moved forward. Then the Municipal Police became aggressive. The video is currently going viral on social media. In the video, about half a dozen city police officers are seen entering the shop and punching him. In the process, a finger on his right hand was fractured. He has now put a temporary plaster on it.

He has admitted that he was pushed from behind. However, he claims that the true details of the incident that followed should also be brought out and that he deserves justice. 'After I took out the bag from my shutter and walked away, I pushed him from behind,' he said. 'But, after that, the city police attacked me like a lion and beat me and took out dozens of bags and other items from my shop and walked away. I have demanded an investigation and justice.' He claims that although the municipality issued a notice to remove the materials placed on the roadside, it was not removed immediately because it did not say anything about Sunset. Although the city police did not remove the sunset of other shops, they removed the sunset of his shop after a scuffle. There are also those who are abusing Rayamajhi on social media and arguing in favor of the municipality. There are also those who are abusing the municipality.

He said that he has been doing business for 13 years and has been regularly paying the annual business tax of 5,000 and monthly sanitation tax of 200 to the municipality. However, he expressed his sadness that even while helping the municipality, he had to endure beatings and was abused on social media.

Butwal Sub-metropolitan City Police Chief Jayeshwar Pandey said that the businessman Rayamajhi had a normal fight back after the police suddenly attacked the city police. However, he claims that the police only removed the goods that were placed in a way that obstructed the sidewalk, not from inside the shutters.

‘As per the decision of the executive, we informed all the residents by miking after the public notice, but after that, we still did not respond, so we picked up some items and alerted them,’ he said, ‘The items picked up have been kept safe and the decision to confiscate or return the items will be made according to the order of the mayor.’ He said that the city police did not pick up any specific person’s belongings and moved forward based on the decision of the city executive.

Sub-metropolitan City Spokesperson Shiva Rana said that the municipality has started a campaign to remove ugly internet cable wires from the sidewalks for road beautification and a well-organized Butwal Bazaar.