Kathmandu, December 6:

Various tourism organisations have strongly condemned the Maoists’ act of beating up a Swiss national at Birethanti of Kaski district yesterday.

Issuing a press release after a joint meeting of the Hotel Association-Nepal, PATA-Nepal Chapter, Trekking Agents Association of Nepal, Nepal Association of Travel and Tour Agents, TOURGAN, Nepal Association of Tour Operators, Nepal Mountaineering Association, Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, Thamel Tourism Development Board and Himalayan Rescue Association; all have strongly condemned the atrocity.

Two Maoists cadres beat up Steve Jeannert yesterday for refusing to pay ‘donation’.

Protest:

NAWALPARASI: Businessmen pulled their shutters down today to protest the Maoists’ pressure to vacate 11 shutters. Their shutters belong to the former finance minister Yadav Prasad Pant in Sunwal. The Maoists had earlier issued a month’s notice to vacate these shutters. Since, the last date of Maoists’ warning was Wednesday, the businessmen closed it from Thursday for indefinite period. — HNS