Nepal, Aug. 5 -- On the morning of July 29, I flew to Biratnagar to cover what had been unfolding in Kaptanganj, Sunsari, since Sunday night. More than a straightforward reporting assignment - reaching the location, speaking with local residents, civil society members, and political party leaders - I wanted to understand how the immediate violence fit into the recurring pattern of communal tensions in the Madhesh region.

The first uncertainty emerged as soon as I reached Biratnagar.

While we were preparing to leave for Kaptanganj, my Biratnagar colleague Parbat Portel and I received unexpected news: the driver we had finalised the previous night refused to go. The driver was from the Hindu community, and he was unwilling to take the ris...