Over 500 arrested from seven-party protests in Kathmandu

Over 500 leaders and activists of the seven agitating political parties were arrested from pro-democracy demonstrations in central Kathmandu Tuesday afternoon.

Police rounded up at least 537 protesters soon after they started demonstrating at Ratna Park and Bus Park areas, a `restricted zone', political leaders attending the protests told Nepalnews.

Police also confirmed that more than 500 activists were taken into control.

The arrested leaders include CPN (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, senior leaders Bam Dev Gautam and Amrit Bohora, Nepali Congress leaders Ram Chandra Poudel, Khum Bahadur Khadka and Dr Ram Saran Mahat, People’s Front Nepal (PFN) chairman Amik Sherchan and United Left Front chairman CP Mainali.

The arrested leaders and activists have been kept at the Mahendra Police Club and Bhrikuti Mandap.

Police baton charged the protesters, injuring dozens of them. They also manhandled several journalists covering the protests, eyewitnesses said. Vehicular movement in and around Ratna Park was blocked for hours as the demonstrators and the riot police continued to clash.

Political parties have been carrying out agitations against ‘royal autocracy’ in the capital city since last week, vowing the break the prohibitory orders clamped by the government. nepalnews.com mk/by Sept 13 05

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