Kathmandu, January 25:

Political party activists held a torch rally from Nhyokha to Raktakali in Kathmandu today evening amid the heavy presence of security personnel.

The rally — being led by Hari Adhikari of the NC, Lila Adhikari of the CPN-UML and Nabin Citrakar of the NC(D) — was organised to publicise tomorrow’s Nepal bandh, called by the alliance of the seven political parties.

Around 30 participants, mainly from the the NC, NC-D and CPN-UML, chanted slogans against the autocratic regime and demanded immediate restoration of total democracy.

Nabin Chitrakar of NC-D said that the parties had earlier decided to take out a torch rally from Banghemudha, but were unable to do so due to the heavy presence of security personnel in the area.

“A police van arrived as soon as we ended the rally at Raktakali. But before anyone was arrested, all the participants had disappeared,” Chitrakar added.

Similar rallies were also organised in other parts of the city today on the eve of the Nepal bandh called by the seven-party alliance.

Nepal Students Union (NSU) today organised corner meetings in New Baneshwore, Maiti Devi and Ason to make tomorrow’s bandh successful.

Guru Baral, central member of the NSU, was arrested from Ason today, while Santosh Bhatt, chairman of All-Nepal Students Union Bishwa Bhasa Campus, was arrested yesterday and given a three-month arrest warrant. The meetings were also organised to protest against prohibitory orders, suppression and arrests by the security forces. The students also took out a Kukur rally (dogs’ rally) from the Patan Multiple Campus and torch rally from Maiti Devi today.

Issuing a statement, the NSU also urged all, including students, to boycott the upcoming municipal elections as called by the political parties. It has condemned the arrest of protesters and use of teargas and other means employed to quell protests. The NSU has condemned the illegal arrest of political leaders and intervention of security forces in educational institutions.

Meanwhile, issuing a statement today, Nepal Students’ Union (NSU), Shankar Dev Campus unit, has demanded that Shuva Ram Basnet, student leader of the campus who was arrested by the Armed Police from the campus premises on Monday, be released. The NSU has also demanded that Basnet, who has been suffering from respiratory problems, be provided treatment.

The Nepali Congress (NC) workers of area number 3, Maharajgunj, today took out a torch rally that passed through ward numbers 5, 33, 32 and visited a number of places including Hadigaon, Dhumbarahi Gyaneswore and Kapan. They also staged a rally with a stray dog as a mayoral candidate at the head, reports said.