Kathmandu, August 15:

A three-hour chakkajam staged by the All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) threw normal life out of gear in the Kathmandu Valley today.

The pro-Maoist student union organised the blockade to protest the arrest of 46 of its activists yesterday. The ANNISU-R said 23 of its cadres were arrested while another 38 injured during the chakkajam that started at 10 am. The pro-Maoist students blocked traffic at various junctions by burning tyres on the roads.

The administration has extended the custody of the 46 persons arrested yesterday for further investigation.

Meanwhile, the Nepal Students’ Union (NSU) today asked the Maoist sister organisations to mend their ways. The union said it has already begun a probe into the attack on the Bagbazaar-based ANNISU-R office.

Organising a press conference at his office, NSU president Pradip Poudel said the Maoist sister organisations should correct themselves to lead the nation towards constituent assembly polls and democratic republic.

“We condemn the attack on the press. We express solidarity with all the ongoing movements for press freedom,” he said. The NSU is to organise a meet here tomorrow morning to protest what it called serial attacks on the NSU by the Maoist sister organisations.

The All Nepal National Free Students Union (Unified) has requested both the NSU and ANNISU-R to solve the problems through dialogue and thus help in creating an environment conducive to holding the CA polls.