Kathmandu, September 11 :

Fewer public vehicles plied on the streets in the Kathmandu valley today due to a general strike called by taxi drivers and commuters had to wait for hours to catch public vehicles to reach their destinations.

Most of the people and even transport workers did not know the strike had been called.

Dozens of taxi drivers had placed obstructions at different parts of the valley, including Koteswor, Satdobato, Kalanki, Gongabu, Balaju and Sukedhara since early morning. Hundreds of drivers rallied from Old Baneswor to Chabahil and then to Baneswor protesting against the killing of taxi drivers.

Protesters vandalised five taxis at Tinkune and two at Jaya Bageswori. The organisers called off the bandh at around 2 pm after the Chief District Officer of Kathmandu agreed to provide Rs 100,000 to the family of Choodamani Thapa Magar, the taxi driver who was killed by unidentified persons on September 4.

The government also assured security to drivers, agreed to take stern action against the culprits and departmental action against police officials who were involved in suppressing Magar’s funeral, a joint statement by the Nepal Taxi Drivers Union, Nepal Drivers Association, Nepal Drivers’ Union and two transport workers’ unions said.

President of the Nepal Taxi Drivers’ Union, Sitaram Khatri, said Magar was the 24th driver to have been killed under similar circumstances.