Thursday, April 6 2006 17:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: In a major crackdown on the opposition, Nepal's royal Government today (Apr 6, 2006) arrested around 300 people, including many senior politicians, on the first day of the four-day nationwide general strike called by the seven-party pro-democracy alliance against King Gyanendra's direct rule.

Hundreds of people in small groups gathered at various places in Kathmandu to defy the government's ban on demonstrations and to canvass for the anti-King general strike.

The rallies were organised at Ason, Lagan, Gongabun, Kalanki, Baneshwor and Basantapur areas of Kathmandu and Chyasal region of Lalitpur district with the demonstrators shouting anti-King slogans.

Police arrested around 300 people, including People's Front central members Sashi Shrestha and Yamuna Bhushal, veteran Communist leader Mohanchandra Adhikari, Nepal Communist Party-UML leader Jagrit Bhetwal and Nepali Congress (NC) leader Tejkant Aryal, for taking out rallies defying the ban on protest shows, party sources said.

Police also fired tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge at Chyasal, where over 200 opposition supporters took out an anti-King rally, said an activist.

Hundreds of security personnel were deployed in each corner of the capital, where the otherwise crowded roads remained silent due to the strike which paralysed normal life.

Half a dozen vehicles were also vandalised in some places.

International flights were not much affected by the strike, but many domestic flights were cancelled due to the strike. There was a very thin presence of tourists in hotels and casinos in Kathmandu during the strike.

Meanwhile, 32 Terai leaders belonging to the seven-party alliance, who were arrested two days ago during a peaceful rally, today went on an indefinite hunger strike to oppose the 'ill treatment' of the detainees at Maharajgunj police station.

Those on hunger strike included Nepal Sadbhavana Party (A) General Secretary Rajendra Mahato, NSP leader Hridayesh Tripathi, Nepal Communist Party-UML leaders Mahendra Yadav and Ramchandra Raya, Nepali Congress (Democratic) central member Shivchandra Mishra, and Nepali Congress leader Amresh Kumar Singh.

There was no clean food and pure drinking water, and the detainees were kept in a warehouse meant for goats and sheep, a party leader claimed.