Over two dozens protesters of five political parties, including senior leaders, have been injured when they clashed with the police in the capital on Friday afternoon.

Police started baton charges to disperse the agitators as they tried to move to the restricted areas. In turn, the protestors who were in thousands pelted stones and bricks at the police. Several rounds of teargas shells and water canons were used to drive away the raging crowd.

Over a dozen leaders including Nepali Congress general secretary Sushil Koirala, senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel, Ram Saran Mahat, UML’s Bharat Mohan Adhikari and Ram Chandra Jha, vice-chairman of People’s Front Nepal’s Lilamani Pokhrel and few others were seriously injured in police action.

The injured have been admitted to Bir Hospital. Among the injured, Ram Chandra Jha is said to be critical condition.

Irate protestors torched two government motorcycles near Ratnapark at around 3pm. They chanted anti-King slogans even as the leaders asked them not to do so.

Meanwhile, publishing press statements separately, the central secretariats of the Nepali Congress and the UML have condemned the police action against ‘peaceful’ protests.

Five political parties launched fresh movement from Thursday to protest what they call regression. nepalnews.com mbk April 2 04