Over a dozen people were injured when police baton charged a protest rally organized by the Greater Democratic Madhesi Front in front of the Singha Durbar, the major administrative hub of the country.

Pharmacy students under The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) protesting with their various demands, Monday, Sep 11 06. nepalnews.com/ANA

Pharmacy students under The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) protesting with their various demands, Monday, Sep 11 06. nepalnews.com/ANA
According to the Front, of the injured, a dozen are in critical condition.

Police took the action after Monday’s cabinet meeting decided to beef up security and strictly prohibit demonstrations in restricted areas.

Meanwhile, police have taken into custody hundreds of junior employees under the health ministry for organizing protests demanding fulfilment of their 10-point demands.

The agitators claimed that police arrested nearly 2,000 junior health workers from peaceful protests. The arrested are being kept at the police offices in Kalimati, Maharajgunj, Vanasthali, Singha Durbar, Gausala Mahendra Police Club.

The paramedics had organised a 24-hour sit in programme in front of the health ministry from Sunday evening.

The junior health workers had announced the halt of all the medical except emergency services in sub-health posts, health posts, primary health centres, district hospitals and zonal hospitals effective from September 8 for an indefinite period till their 10-point demands are met.

They have been demanding promotion of junior health workers and skill development trainings.

The police on Monday also rounded up 20 construction entrepreneurs staging a sit-in at the Prime Minister’s residence demanding the Public Procurement Bill be scrapped, among others.

Police intervened their sit-in and arrested the construction entrepreneurs, who had reached Baluwatar to surround the PM’s residence as part of their third phase of protest programme.

Construction entrepreneurs have been organising protest programmess against the Public Procurement Bill that the government had tabled at the Parliament some time back.

The association has said that it will continue its protest until the bill is scrapped, adding that the bill should have been tabled only after necessary discussions with the construction entrepreneurs.