Hetauda, July 21

Fifteen Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal activists and leaders, including Constituent Assembly member Ganesh Thapa and RPP-N Chairman Kamal Thapa, were injured when they clashed with the police on the second day of feedback collection on constitution draft here today.

Ganesh Thapa was hurt after police tried to stop RPP-N activists from forcefully entering the hall where feedback collection was under way. When Kamal Thapa came to take stock of the situation he too was hurt. They both suffered head injuries.

DSP Sishu Sharma said 19 police personnel were injured when RPP-N cadres hurled stones and bricks at them. Six persons, who had came to give feedback on constitution draft, were also hurt in the incident. Later, RPP-N shut down Hetauda Bazaar to protest police assault on its activists.

Earlier, Maoists led by Netra Bikram Chand and Mohan Baidhya burnt the copies of draft constitution outside the hall.

In Dhankuta, Federal Limbuwan State Council’s activists entered the community building where feedback collection was on and hurled chairs at CA members seated on the dais. Three Limbuwan cadres were critically injured when cops charged batons on them.

Seven CA members, including Minister for Commerce and Supplies Sunil Bahadur Thapa, Tikaram Chemjong and Anjana Chamling, are in Dhankuta for feedback collection.

As many as 21 persons were arrested for trying to obstruct the feedback collection in Udayapur headquarters Gaighat. They include cadres of CPN-Maoist, CPN Maoist, Federal Socialist Forum and RPP-N. Six people were injured in police lathi-charge.

Activists of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal burnt copies of draft statute in Khotang headquarters Diktel and RPP-N activists did the same at Phidim’s Ganatantra Chowk.

Federal Limbuwan Party-Nepal activists staged protest against the feedback collection in Panchthar. Limbuwan activists shouted slogans and boycotted the programme. They said the draft was incomplete, as delineation and naming of the new provinces were yet to be carried out. Police chased away the Limbuwan activists from the hall.