Siraha, January 24:

Police today arrested 51 activists of the seven agitating political parties from two separate anti-poll demonstrations in Siraha district.

Security personnel fired several rounds of blank shots to foil the demonstration in Lahan while 30 political activists were arrested in Siraha Bazaar.

Nepali Congress district committee vice-president Amar Regmi, member Raj Kapur Yadav and town committee president Ashish Lal Yadav, district president of Akhil Nepal Janawadi Yuba Sangh Jeewacha Yadav, district members Gyan Kumar Singh and Mahesh Yadav, district leader of NC-D Dhani Ram Mukhiya, former district president Samjhana Thapaliya of All Nepal Women’s Association and Dharma Nath Mahato were among those arrested from Siraha Bazaar.

They are being detained at the District Police Office, Siraha. Similarly, central treasurer of the Jana Morcha Nepal Bishwa Nath Shah, central member of Democratic National Youth Association Satya Narayan Yadav and 19 others were arrested from the demonstration in Lahan. They were all released later in the evening.

Police had fired some rounds of blank shots to disperse the demonstrators at Mahendra Chowk of Lahan. SP Sashi Silwal said altogether 50 demonstrators were arrested from different parts of the district.

Meanwhile, a report from Palpa said four students were injured in a clash with the police at Andolan Chowk in front of Tribhuvan Multiple Campus in Tansen today.

The Joint Students’ Struggle Committee, Palpa, organised a demonstration, coinciding with Home Minister Kamal Thapa’s visit to the district.

29 agitators held in Sarlahi

Sarlahi: Police on Tuesday intervened in a peaceful protest held at Malangawa of Sarlahi and arrested 29 demonstrators.

Three agitators — Kshyam Prasad Baral, Ramashish Thakur and Dhruba Wagle, were injured in the police baton-charge, Sarlahi representative of INSEC, Bidur Pyakurel, said.

Twelve NC activists, including ex-minister Ram Hari Joshi, nine activists of the CPN-UML, including Mohammad Rijwan Ansari of Janakpur Zonal committee member, and four activists including district president of Nepal Sadbhawana Party- An-andi Devi were arrested, DSP Ram Bahadur Basnet said.

Similarly, central member of the Jana Morcha Nepal Pralhad Budhathoki, central member of Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party Govinda Mahat and Surendra Kumar Neupane of NC-D were also arrested, Basnet said. — HNS