Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 14:

Nepal Students’ Union today organised a torch rally at Maitidevi in the evening protesting against the February 1 royal move and demanding the fulfillment of their various demands, even as the Lalitpur district president of the Nepal Students’ Union, Sanu Babu Maharjan, was arrested by the police today. The arrest comes in the run-up to the fresh phase of agitation launched by the seven-party alliance which will get underway tomorrow.

The first phase of strike called by the seven students unions ended yesterday with a series of programmes. Other student bodies including All Nepal National Free Students Union and All Nepal National Free Students Union (Unified) and Nepal Students Union-sister wing of Nepali Congress (Democratic) too, had announced separate protest programmes of organising rallies at the prohibited areas from tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Nepal Students Union also appealed the civil society to participate in the signature campaign to be organised by Human Rights and Peace Society Nepal on May 17 to release all the illegally detained activists.

The students have been protesting for the restoration of democracy, removal of security personel and government spies from all the campus premises, release all the political detainees.

The other demands include investigation of the Mahendranagar shoot out incident,

release of political leaders who were forcefully detained by Royal Commission for Corruption Control and allowing students to enagae in political and educational activities in

the colleges.

The students are also protesting against the forceful evacuation of the ANNFSU from Rato Ghar recently, which they had been renting since 1990.

Nepal Students Union also condemned the manhandling protesting Maoist victim by the police.

NSU stated that the government should ensure their right to fooding and lodging.