The alliance of the seven political parties has condemned the killing of one CPN-UML activist Umesh Chandra Thapa in Ghorai of Dang in mid western region while returning after staging a peaceful demonstration against the municipal polls on Wednesday.

Issuing a joint statement in the capital on Wednesday, the parties declared him a martyr and expressed condolence to his family.

“This attack is not just on Umesh Chandra Thapa but also on all the democracy-loving people and the democratic movement,” said the parties.

The parties have planned a protest meet and rally against the murder at Basantapur in the capital at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

Thapa, proprietor of the Swargdwari press. was killed and another CPN-UML activist Krishna Giri was critically injured when a Royal Nepalese Army soldier opened fire at Super Lodge road while they were returning home after organizing a demonstration.

People organized a demonstration in Pyuthan district, Thapa’s hometown, denouncing the killing. They also demanded Thapa be declared a martyr, as he lost his life while fighting against autocracy.

Meanwhile, issuing a press statement, CPN-UML Rapti zonal co-ordination committee, denounced the killing. “We utterly denounce the barbaric act of killing a civilian just due to the ‘lunatic directives’ of Home Minister Kamal Thapa,” the statement said.

The statement also demanded the guilty be immediately brought to book. It also appealed to the public to intensify the movement to root out autocratic monarchy from the country.

The seven party alliance is also planning a protest programme in Ghorai on Thursday against the killing.