BIRATNAGAR: Normal life across the country was badly crippled today, the first day of three-day general strike called by UCPN-Maoist.

Educational institutions and business houses remained shut while vehicles stayed off the road, causing much inconvenience to public.

The Maoist cadres torched two vehicles in Morang while government employees were also faced their ire elsewhere.

Three persons, including Maoist-affiliated trade union district chairman Ganesh Limbu, were injured in a clash between bandh enforcers and local businessmen in Jaljale of Udaypur's Triyuga Municipality. The clash ensued after the businessmen pelted stones at the Maoists.

In Panchthar district, half-yearly examinations were postponed for an indefinite period due to the bandh.

In Makawanpur, demonstrators tried to vandalise Hetauda based Nepal Ikarat Engineering Company belonging to Kush Kumar Joshi, chairman of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries. The Maoists smashed windowpanes and

computers after forcing the

employees out.

Likewise, bandh enforcers also damaged four computers, photocopy machine and windowpanes of Nepal Electricity Authority's regional office and its Hetauda branch during the strike. A few hotels in Chamber Chowk in Hetauda-4 also bore the brunt of the shutdown.

The Maoist activists vandalised the office of Narayani Entrepreneurs Organisation damaging the property worth Rs 1 lakh, according to Hiralal Shrestha, chairman of the organisation. Local marketplaces of Sankhuwasabha district in the east were also shut down due to the bandh. However, Tumlingtar locals and businessmen defied the bandh.

The Maoists vandalised three government offices in Dang's Deukhuri for defying their bandh call. In Bajhang too, the UCPN-Maoist activists pelted stones at UML party office and a police beat in the district headquarters. Three persons including sub inspector were injured in the ensuing clash.

In another incident in Parbat, two teachers of Narayani Higher Secondary School in Kusmabazaar were badly beaten by the bandh imposers. Basanta Bahadur CK, principal of the school, and teacher Govinda Pokharel were injured. Pokharel is receiving treatment at Parbat district hospital.

Police also arrested five Maoists when the latter were attempting to vandalise government offices in Baglung.