Doctors, bank staff strike work; students to boycott exams

Pokhara, April 11:

Thousands of seven party activists took to the streets across the nation and were joined by various professional organisations on the sixth day of the general strike today.

In Pokhara, two women were injured when police fired rubber bullets at thousands of protesters who were trying to burn the effigy of regression at Chipledhunga this morning. The injured have been identified as Parbati Poudel of and Bishnu Maya Bhattarai. The security forces also beat up locals, journalists and human rights activists who joined the agitation in large number today .

In Nawalparasi, at least 10 demonstrators were injured when security forces beat them up in Kawasoti. As police failed to control the mob, Royal Nepalese Army personnel fired dozens of rounds bullets and tear gas shells. The agitators and the security forces also clashed when the latter pelted stones at the agitators from the roof of Everest Hotel in Thana Chowk.

In Parasi, at least 10 protesters sustained injuries as security forces rained lathis on them.

In Lamjung, 28 demonstrators and four policemen were injured when the latter tried to intervene a torch rally taken out by seven-party alliance. Six of the injured are in critical condition. The protesters defied curfew and vandalised District Forest Office and the house of Hemjung Gurung, central member of the RPP-Thapa.

In Rautahat, at least six protesters and a cop were hurt in clashes at Chandranigahapur. Police resorted to blank firing to scare away the agitators.

Scores of demonstrators were injured, four of them seriously, when they clashed with the police in Butwal. Hari Lamsal, lecturer of Yajyodaya Multiple Campus and Suraj Raut of Pakhapani sustained head injuries in police firing.

The police had to resort to firing in Syangja as well to disperse the agitators, injuring NC leader Kedar Kafle and Keshar Kunwar. Six protesters were arrested there.

One person was critically injured in police action in Nepalgunj.

In Dhading, the employees of Rastriya Banijya Bank and Nepal Telecom joined the stir.

In Bhairahawa, thousands took to the streets defying curfew. Doctors and nurses of Universal Medical College also took part in the rally.

In Bara, employees of Kalaiya-based Nepal Bank Limited, Rastriya Banijya Bank, Agricultural Development Bank, Nepal Telecom, Nepal Electricity Authority, NCC Bank and Maha Laxmi Finance halted daily functioning.

In Sindhupalchowk, the Nepal Teachers’ Union organised a rally.

In Dharan, RNA men entered Purbanchal Engineering Campus and fired three rounds of bullets. The RNA men fired the bullets when the students were going towards Industrial Estate to lock the factories inside the estate. However, no one was hurt in the firing. Medical professionals of BPKIHS, took out a pro-democracy rally.

In Mahendranagar, the students of Siddhanath Science Campus have decided to boycott their exams to participate in the agitation. In Phidim, an employee of Nepal Bank, Mahendra Shrestha, and engineer Shambhu Jha of NEA Shambhu Jha were arrested but released later.

Rallies were also held in Bara, Syangja, Dipayal . In Lahan, party activists locked Area Administration Office, Forest Office and District Drinking Water Office after forcing out the employees.

In Inaruwa, agitators vandalised the Inaruwa Municipality building. In Ilam, Mayor’s chair was torched and medical stores were shut for 90 minutes.