Kathmandu, August 9:

Police today arrested 47 Dalit activists while they were staging a sit-in at the southern gate of Singha Durbar, a prohibited zone.

However, all the arrested activists were released in the evening.

A member of the Dalit Nagarik Andolan (DNA), Rem Biswokarma, accused the police of using excessive force on the protesters in course of the sit-in.

Some protesters, including women, were injured in police action, Biswokarma said, adding that the irate agitators vandalised a police van.

Twenty Dalit activists were arrested from the same place on Tuesday, while some 30 Dalit activists were arrested yesterday and released five hours later.

The DNA said it will stage a relay hunger strike at the Maitighar Mandala on August

29 and 30.

Among other things, the agitating Dalit activists have been demanding 20 per cent representation of the Dalits in all government organs, including the Constituent Assembly (CA), the declaration of a federal loktantrik republic and timely conduct of the CA elections.