Police intervention continued on Tuesday in barring agitating students from carrying out protests.

In Lalitpur, police arrested over a dozen students, including vice-chairman of Nepal Students Union Pradeep Poudel and Bhakta Gurung, vice-chairman of All Nepal National Independent Students Union when they were on their way to take part in a public hearing on “relevance of monarchy”.

It is also learnt that the police have taken under control six students from the premises of Pulchowk Engineering Campus. Reports quoted fellow students as saying that they were not involved in any kind of protests.

In a similar incident, 19 agitating students were held and some were injured during a scuffle with police in Birgunj. Confrontation began as police started using force to disperse the students who at that time were preparing to organize a public hearing on the same topic at Maisthan of Birgunj.

Birgunj remains tense following the student-police showdown. Irate students have announced Bandh this afternoon (closure) to protest police clampdown, reports said. nepalnews.com mbk Jan 27 04