KATHMANDU: The police arrested 65 leaders of the civil movement and released them after six hours.

Activists of the civil society had organised a peaceful gathering in front of the Office of the President at Shital Niwas on Tuesday accusing the president of crossing boundaries of his rights in reinstating the army chief. The area had been declared as a prohibitory zone yesterday.

Activist Malla K Sundar said that the president had made an unconstitutional move. “Our peaceful sit-in was to urge the President to correct his decision of reinstating Katawal by writing a letter,” said Malla.

According to them, 65 civil society activists including medical doctors, professors, lawyers, artists and writers were arrested at 11:15 just after 15 minutes they gathered there. The government had declared the area a prohibitory zone yesterday. “It was declared after we decided to organise the programme,” said Malla. “We were released at 5:00 pm after six hours keeping in the Maharajgunj Gana No. 2.”

The arrested leaders included Dr Debendra Raj Panday, Shyam Shrestha, Sundar Sani Dixit, Malla K Sundar, Bimal Aryal, Arjun Parajuli and Khagendra Sangraula, Krishna Pahadi.

Meanwhile, Dr Debendra Raj Panday said that nobody could violate the law and constitution of the country.