Kathmandu: Life in Nepal came to a halt on April 20 following a nationwide call for strike by seven students organisations to protest death of a student demonstrator shot by police.

All shops, colleges, and business establishments were closed and streets were deserted, reports said, adding the situation remained calm with no untoward incidents of violence reported.

Business establishments and factories did not operate. Sunday is a working day in most parts of the country.

Hundreds of armed policemen were deployed around the capital to prevent violence, amid fears of attacks by students, reports said. Besides the police, Army personnel were also deployed in some sensitive areas.

Airports, guarded by the Army, were open across the country and international flights were operating as schedule.

In Tribhuvan University of Kathmandu, the situation was tense since April 19 where dozens of students were detained over the weekend. Most of them would be released by April 20 evening, police officials said.

Seven students organisations including Nepali Congress affiliated Nepal Students Union and CPN-UML affiliated All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) have jointly announced the nationwide shut-down to press for their three point demand: reducing price of petroleum products, conducting free students union election and restoring Democratic rights of the people.

Earlier on April 19, the agitating students took out a torch procession in the capital in 20 places defying the Home Ministry's ban on such marches.

PTI