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Koirala injured during protest

Riot police use batons, teargas to break up massive protest against King

— PHOTO: AP

BATTLE CRY: Riot police officers detain a protester during a demonstration against King Gyanendra in Kathmandu on Sunday.

KATHMANDU: The former Nepalese Prime Minister, Girija Prasad Koirala, and several other top political figures were on Sunday arrested while taking out a procession here defying a ban even as dozens were injured when police used force to disperse the gathering.

Police in riot gear fired several rounds of tear gas shells and used bamboo batons to disperse hundreds of party workers, who were proceeding towards the main city centre shouting pro-democracy and anti-King slogans.

Scuffle with police

Eighty three-year-old Koirala, who was last week elected president of the Nepali Congress, was slightly injured in the scuffle with police and fell unconscious. He was rushed to a hospital and his condition is not serious, party sources said.

Several political leaders and over 150 party workers were detained while at least a dozen activists were injured in the clashes, which came a day after Maoist rebels announced a three-month unilateral ceasefire.

The arrested leaders include Nepal Communist Party-UML standing committee members Ishwor Pokharel and Bam Dev Gautam, Nepali Congress general secretary Shushila Koirala, central committee members Ramchandra Poudyal and Balbanadur Rai and United Left Front leader CP Mainali.

An NC spokesman Arjun Narsingh and central member Ramsharan Mahat were also arrested during the demonstrations.

The demonstration began from Basantpur area and was heading towards the main city centre, where the royal government had banned processions.

Thousands participated in the procession and a few hundred of them managed to break the police cordon, leading to scuffle with the security personnel.

Agitation programme

'Police then used batons and tear gas to push back the protestors, injuring several of them. Meanwhile, Mr. Koirala was freed later in the evening and police took him to his residence at Maharajgunj, the sources said.

The procession was part of the agitational programmes drawn up by the seven-party alliance, which is spearheading a campaign against King Gyanendra for restoration of democracy and civil rights in the Himalayan Kingdom.

Alliance sources, however, said the demonstration was peaceful and condemned the police action.

They also vowed to continue their agitation. — PTI

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