Kathmandu: Authorities have placed the strategic border city of Birgunj under an indefinite curfew after communal tensions between Hindu and Muslim groups flared following the vandalism of a local mosque, officials said Tuesday.

The Parsa District Administration issued strict prohibitory orders banning all public gatherings, rallies, and demonstrations. The notice further cautioned that security forces have been authorised to use lethal force against anyone found violating the curfew.

Armed soldiers and police units are now patrolling the streets of Birgunj, a critical trade hub located 130 kilometres (80 miles) south of Kathmandu that handles the majority of Nepal's imports of fuel and supplies from India.

The unrest began Sunday when Muslim groups took to the streets to protest the weekend vandalism of a mosque in a nearby town. Later that day, Hindu followers staged a separate demonstration, leading to ongoing friction between the two communities. While there have been no reports of significant clashes or major injuries, police have intervened in several scuffles involving protesters and riot officers.

Religious conflict remains a rarity in Nepal, a predominantly Hindu nation where the minority Muslim population is primarily situated in the southern plains bordering India.

With inputs from AP