Kathmandu, July 31:

At least 26 students affiliated to the Council of Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) were injured when police rained batons on them today. The students, seeking fulfilment of two of their demands, were staging demonstrations in front of the Education Ministry and Singha Durbar - at Baber Mahal - today. The injured students were treated at the Bir Hospital and the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital.

Police began baton-charging the students while they were staging a silent protest, with the objective of pressing the government to meet their demands, in front of Singha Durbar.

The students then locked the gate of the Education Ministry at Keshar Mahal and enforced a chhakajam - for over five hours - against the police intervention. The students also vandalised a motorcycle as the motorcyclist tried to defy the chakkajam. Randip Mandal, Kamala Oli, Pratigya, Giri Premu and Ishowori Prasad Bhusad were seriously injured as police intervened.

Meena Aryal, vice-president of the Valley Joint Nursing Struggle Committee, said their movement would now be decisive. “We will gherao the Education Ministry against the police brutality tomorrow morning, she said, adding: “Police used force indiscriminately.”

The students have been demanding that the students who have passed proficiency certificate level (PCL) under the CTEVT be given opportunity to pursue Bachelor level studies in universities and that their degrees be declared equivalent to that of the Tribhuvan University.