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Students unleash wave of violent protests nationwide
KATHMANDU, DEC 23 - Several students and a police personnel wounded Monday as students demonstrated against the arrest of their leaders and demanded the court to nullify the charges labeled against them.
Eight students were arrested and five government vehicles were damaged in the capital as the students turned violent and clashed with the police, Home Ministry said in a statement.
While the riot police could be seen rushing to the troubled spots in various pockets in the city centre, fire tenders doused the burning tyres even as the roads depicted a war-like scene. Smoke billowed several feet high in the air and bricks and broken glasses lay scattered here and there.
Pradeep Poudel, vice president of the Nepal Students’ Union (NSU) said a dozen students sustained ‘minor’ injuries during the skirmishes, while eight students were rounded up by the police and detained at Koteshwor.
Students burnt tree trunks in front of Shanker Dev Campus shouting slogans against ‘regression’.
Home Ministry said police had to use force to stop the demonstrators from setting fire to the Dragon World at the Exhibition Road.
Army jawans stormed the Amrit Science Campus and arrested Bhuwan Poudel, a student before setting him free later. Eyewitnesses had seen army kicking him while taking him away in the vehicle.
Ratna Rajya Campus saw exchange of brickbats between police and students, with students burning broken chairs and tables as mark of protest. Later, police entered the campus to bring the situation under control.
At RR Campus in Baneshwor, students seized two government cars and a motorcycle and herded them inside the campus. They damaged the vehicles when police tried to rescue them.
Khim Lal Bhattarai, general secretary of the ANNFSU, a student wing of the CPN-UML, said police have rounded up Kamal Raj Sunwar, Moti BK, Yuba Raj Singh, Ramesh Basnet, Krishna Khanal, Dirga Balayar, Deepak Humagain, Suraj Khadka, Ramesh Basnet and Dinesh Basnet.
Students, who were appearing for their entrance examinations at the Tribhuvan University (TU) returned halfway without appearing in the same as demonstrators closed down the campuses.
Dr Shekhar Gurung, principal of University Campus, TU said the entrance would be held only after the situation returns to normalcy.
"This will disrupt academic calendar and that the students themselves will be the loser," he warned.
Meanwhile, reports from districts stated that a wave of protests has swept throughout the kingdom. In Butwal, Palpa, Nawalparasi, Mahottari and Janakpur students blockaded the roadand shouted slogans against the monarchy and organised a corner meetings.Posted on: 2003-12-24 05:09
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