Pokhara, December 10:

Students affiliated with the seven political parties this morning chased away activists and leaders of Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N) from a programme hall where they were organising the party’s western regional meeting.

A rally of students reached the programme venue at Mahendrapul of Pokhara, chanted slogans and then chased away the RPP-N activists saying the party’s declaration had tried to save King.

The two-day-long gathering had begun yesterday. The students broke the police security, barged into the hall and started vandalising the furniture and other things there. They also beat up some activists, RPP-N Kaski informed. Students also vandalised a private vehicle, belonging to RPP-N chairman, Rabindra Nath Sharma, who escaped unhurt. Sharma later in the afternoon left for Kathmandu.

“Property worth around Rs 40,000 of party palace was damaged,” said Bikram Adhikari, proprietor of the hall in which the programme was being organised. About a dozen central members of the party were inside the hall when the incident took place.

“Students’ attack on RPP-N party cadres is violation of rights,” said central member, Durga Shrestha.

Students chanted slogans and staged a corner meeting in the hall after chasing away RPP-N activists and Nepal Students’ Union (NSU) leader Yog Raj Lamichhane, Surya Dhakal of All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union-Revolutionary, Pawan Nepal of NSU-Democratic, among others - said the RPP-N was being active to save the monarchy in the nation.