Kathmandu, March 24:

Seven students were injured in an hour-long scuffle with the police as students affiliated to the All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) today protested in front of valley campuses against the arrest of CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and the raid on his house.

The seven injured students were protesting outside Ascol Campus this morning. The protesters there clashed with police when the latter tried to remove them from the spot and clear the road for vehicles to pass.

The students were blocking the road by burning tyres and were chanting slogans against the government.

A half hour-long “chakkajam” was organised in front of Ratna Rajya Multiple Campus, Nepal Law Campus and Balmiki Vidyapeeth and also in front of Nepal Commerce Campus, Minbhawan and Pashupati Multiple Campus.

Meanwhile, the eight student unions condemned Nepal’s arrest and the raid on his house. The student bodies decried it, stating all these acts were the result of the government’s “weak” mentality. “The day of monarchy has come very close to its end,” stated the student bodies in a joint press release issued here.

The eight student unions’ meeting has also endorsed the organising of week-long joint meetings on various campuses from March 26, holding discussions on March 27 with various professional organisations and also discussions with educational organisations on March 28 to complement the general strike called by the political parties from April 6 to April 9.