Day-long curfew imposed in the capital valley (update)
The government has enforced day-long curfew in the parts of capital valley on Saturday to thwart a major mass meeting planned by the Seven Party Alliance.
Issuing separate notices, the District Administration offices of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur said curfew orders will remain in force in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Kirtipur from 10 a.m. in the morning till 9 p.m. in the evening on Saturday.
“Security personnel may open fire at anybody found defying the curfew orders,” the notices said.
On Friday, Home Minister Kamal Thapa had claimed that the on-going anti-government demonstrations in Kathmandu were being led and controlled by the Maoist rebels and that the government could impose curfew or even proclaim the state of emergency to deal with the situation.
The government has imposed curfew on the third day of the four day long general strike called by the Seven Party Alliance that is protesting the 14-month-old direct rule of King Gyanendra.
People could be seen rushing to their houses after they came to learn about the curfew from various media this morning. People had thronged grocery shops in their neighbourhood to buy essential supplies.
Reports say opposition activists took out brief protest rallies at various places of the capital this morning defying the prohibitive orders imposed by the government on all types of protests in parts of the capital.
A group of youths was burning tires and chanting anti-king slogans at the Minbhavan-New Baeswore section of the road till 9:30 in the morning-half an hour ahead of the curfew.
Security personnel are guarding major thoroughfares in the capital and are informing people about the curfew orders through mikes mounted on vehicles.
The opposition alliance had planned a major mass meeting in the capital on Saturday and had urged members of the civil society, professionals and people from various walks of life in the pro-democracy movement.
The four-day general strike called by the SPA will continue until Sunday.
Hundreds of opposition activists have been taken into custody during the demonstrations over the past two days.
The royal government had also imposed day-long curfew in the capital on January 20 this year to thwart a massive rally planned by the opposition parties. nepalnews.com by/pb Apr 08 06
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