CINA

More than 300 protestors were rounded up for defying the government ban on rallies and gatherings from different places in Kathmandu today, party sources said.

The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) in a statement said that the police arrested 250 protestors in the capital while 64 others were arrested in Hetauda as the party activists and supporters staged demonstrations against the royal government.

Meanwhile, reports from Rajbiraj said, Darshan Yadav, an UML cadre, who was seriously injured in a police baton charge during a protest rally on Wednesday, has died.

Yadav died while undergoing treatment at Rajbiraj Zonal Hospital yesterday night.

Small protest rallies were taken out from Koteshwor, Naya Baneshwor, Chabahil, Jorpati, Basundhara Chowk, Maitidevi, Gongabu, Thamel, Bangemuda, Chhetrapati, Sitapaila, Kalanki, Kalimati, Kirtipur and other areas.

Nepali Congress secretary Shovakar Parajuli said that over 50 party members and student leaders were arrested by police from various areas in the valley this morning.

Among the arrested include party leaders Meena Pandey, Sujata Koirala, Dinbandhu Shrestha, Shashank Koirala among others.

Nepal Congress-Democratic party sources said that at least 18 activists were held by the police during demonstrations.

Government authorities had mobilized large numbers of security men including plainclothes security personnel to clampdown on the protest demonstrations.

Likewise, clashes between security personnel and protesters erupted for a long period at Kalanki. Policemen fired dozens of teargas shells to disperse the agitating activists.

Policemen baton charged the protesters even entering the houses of local residents at Kalanki. Several pedestrians and locals were injured in the police baton charges.

Educational institutions, business houses and major markets remain closed while the streets wore a deserted look in the valley.

Most of the private and public vehicles opted to remain off the roads. But press vehicles, ambulances and vehicles belonging to diplomatic missions and security forces were seen on the streets.

Police, meanwhile, said that by noon some 100 protestors had been arrested in the valley.

"A motocycle was torched in Bhotebahal and three other vehicles have been vandalized," a police officer said.

Meanwhile, student leader of Nepal Students Union said at least a dozen students were arrested from Maitidevi and Chabahil during demonstrations. A dozen others were injured during clashes with riot police.

Among the arrested include Sudeep Mohan Bhattarai, Gajendra Karki, Sundamani Acharya, Swastika Poudel and Badri Mudwari.

The students also burnt a government motorcycle in Kirtipur and vandalized two vehicles and four taxis in Chabahil. Policemen and protesters clashed for nearly four hours there.

Scores of policemen in three trucks were forced to flee the area after thousands of political activists in Kirtipur chased them away. The activists, following the clash with the policemen, took out a rally around Kirtipur.

Outside the capital, normal life was crippled by the general strike. Only vehicles belonging to media houses and ambulances could be seen on the roads along the major highways across the nation.

UML sources said that 65 protestors were arrested in Birgunj, 23 in Pokhara, 24 in Ilam, nine in Ramechap, 10 in Surkhet and six in Damauli today.

Expressing their solidarity with the ongoing mass movement launched by the seven mainstream political parties, doctors today staged demonstrations in the capital.

The doctors gathered in the premises of the TU Teaching Hospital and said that they would join the parties’ protests to help resolve the current crisis facing the nation.

Meanwhile, Dr. Kedar Nar Singh KC, who was on his way to hospital, was seriously beaten up by the police today. Dr. KC, whose legs are believed to be broken, is undergoing treatment at TU Teaching Hospital.

“A total success”

 Talking to eKantipur leaders of the alliance have vowed to intensify the demonstrations against the “autocratic monarchy” across the nation.

Nepali Congress Spokesperson, Krishna Prasad Sitaula said today’s demonstrations were a total success.

“Significant numbers of people have participated in the first day of our general strike,” Sitaula said.

He also called on all professionals and employees to join the parties’ demonstrations.

“Today’s demonstrations have shown that people are ready to agitate against autocracy,” KP Sharma Oli, UML standing committee member said.

Criticizing the government crackdown on political activists, Oli said, “It shows the government’s defeated mentality.”

Nepali Congress-Democratic Dr Minendra Rijal said that the large turn out of people proved that today’s demonstrations were a success.

“We call on all the people to join the upcoming agitation against the autocratic monarch,” he said.

NepalNews wrote this

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