Three journalists and one driver affiliated to Kantipur Television, a private television channel of the country, who were arrested on Tuesday while covering a demonstration at Home Ministry were released after a few hours.

Police arrested journalists Balram Baniya, Bimal Gautam, cameraman Raju Timilsena and driver Shiv Ram Thapa while covering a demonstration by civil servant at Singha Durbar on Tuesday.

They were released at around 8.15 p.m. in the evening in presence of president of Federation of Nepalese Journalists Bishnu Nisthuri, general secretary Mahendra Bista and general secretary of Nepal Bar Association Madhav Baskota.

Alleging that the arrested journalists were treated like criminals by the police, Kantipur Television, in a press statement, said it was saddened by the government’s act.

Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday released 12 employees of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) and 19 employees of the Home Ministry, a few hours after their arrest. However 6 employees of Home Ministry are yet to be released

12 employees of NRB and 25 employees of Home Ministry were arrested on Tuesday for supporting the pro-democracy movement of the country. nepalnews.com pb Apr 19 06