Crackdown in Nepal  [ Wednesday, April 12, 2006 09:33:54 pm PTI ]
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KATHMANDU:
The Nepal police on Wednesday made more arrests, including some 24 politicians
who were condoling the death of colleagues and 30 journalists, despite lifting
of day-time curfew in the capital on the seventh day of the indefinite anti-King
strike.
Police in riot gear
stormed a meeting called by the Seven Party Alliance for restoration of
democracy at Ratnapark in the heart of Kathmandu to mourn four people killed in
firing and other violence in the course of the
strike.
They also blocked the
main entrance of Tundikhel Open Ground, half a km north of the Royal Palace,
where the agitators were supposed to organise the condolence meeting.
King Gyanendra was not in the
Narainhiti Palace and is vacationing in the tourist spot Pokhra.
Those arrested include: Nepali
Congress central member Shashanka Koirala, Nepali Congress Kathmandu district
president Tirtha Ram Dangol and Nepal Communist Party UML leader Ramnath
Adhikari, party sources said.
Police also baton-charged and
fired tear gas shells at Ashon and Indrachowk when groups of agitators shouted
anti-King slogans demanding democracy and civil rights.
They created obstacles at
various places for activists who were heading towards the condolence meeting
venue.
After State-run
television announced the lifting of the curfew, imposed last Saturday, the
number of security personnel deployed in the capital was reduced.
Earlier in the day, police
arrested at least 30 journalists and 5 human rights activists from peaceful
demonstrations to demand press freedom and human rights.
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