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450 political activists in custody in Nepal

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, Jan 20, IRNA
Nepal-Demonstrations
Over 250 political activists were arrested from various places in Nepal today, bringing to more than 450 the total number of political activists in the custody since yesterday.

Around 200 activists belonging to the seven-party opposition alliance were arrested from a charity home near the famous Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu today while they were preparing to stage a rally defying curfew.

Shortly after the curfew was imposed, police breaking the main gate of the charity home arrested the political activists.

Streets in the capital bore a deserted look as thousands of troops patrolled the capital to ensure that none of the political activists reached the central Durbar Square where the planned protest rally was to take place.

Muslims in the capital could not go to the mosques for the Friday prayers due to the curfew.

Some 20,000 Muslims, who visit the Nepali Jama Masjid and Kashmiri Takia near the Royal Palace, were affected.

A local Muslim leader also expressed his dissatisfaction on a private radio, pti here reported.

Earlier in the morning, hundreds of people gathered at various places, where curfew was not effective, opposing the King seizure of power in February last year.

Police also resorted to baton-charge at some places outside the curfew zone where activists tried to stage rallies.

Home Minister Kamal Thapa had earlier claimed that the government arrested political leaders and imposed curfew as it received information that Maoists might infiltrate into their peaceful programs.

There were no vehicles except police vans on the otherwise busy roads of Kathmandu before the curfew ended this evening.

A night-time curfew will be imposed from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

The European Union, UN High Commissioner's Office for Human Rights, Nepal, the UK, the US, India and Japan have issued separate statements condemning the government's crackdown on peaceful demonstrators and urged the kingdom to restore democracy.

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