Massive protests in Nepal, 250 held

Over 250 protestors were arrested today as anti-King demonstrations by major political parties rocked Nepal, including the capital which was virtually turned into a fortress with heavy deployment of security forces and riot police.

Hundreds of slogan-shouting activists, demanding restoration of democracy and civil rights, gathered at Kathmandu's New Road to mark People's Movement Day defying the government's ban on demonstrations.

They chanted slogans like "Down with autocratic king", "Restore Democratic Rights" "Long Live Democracy" and "Reinstate Parliament".

Nepal: Help, not sermons

Riot police, deployed in Kathmandu in large numbers to supress the demonstrations, cane-charged the agitators and arrested at least 100 of them.

The activists waved party flags and distributed pamphlets even as they were taken in the police vans.

Veteran Communist leader Bhakta Bahadur Shrestha and Nepali Congress leader and former minister Ramchandra Adhikari were among prominent people arrested today in Kathamandu. A large number of workers of Nepali Congress, Nepali Congress-Democratic, Nepal Communist Party-UML were also arrested from New Road.

Nepal: Grim alternatives

One hundred activists were arrested from Pokhara and 25,

including Nepali Congress central member and former Minister Rambaran Yadav, were arrested from Dhanusha today, according to Nepali Congress sources.

In Dhanusha some 3,000 activists were cane-charged by the police. Fifteen people were arrested from Bardia and 15 from Nawalparasi for staging anti-King demonstrations.

Pro-democracy demonstrations were also held in Dolakha and Tanhu districts.

Earlier, over two dozen pro-democracy activists, including student leaders and teachers, were arrested in the country on the eve of country-wide protests by the five agitating political parties including Nepali Congress, Nepal Communist Party (UML) and Nepali Congress (Democratic).

These included Chandra Bhandari, ex-general secretary of Nepal Students Union affiliated to the Nepali Congress, and five other activists from Gaushala and various campuses in Kathmandu yesterday.

Government spokesman and Communication Minister Tanka Dhakal had warned of tough action against the protestors. "The government is not talking of clampdown on political activities. In fact, it (govt) does not at all see the possibility of any stir. But it is prepared to seriously deal with violent agitations," he told reporters yesterday.

Maoist rebels have also called for an 11-day strike on Saturday against the royal takeover.

More news from Nepal