Police guarding the main entrance of Birendra International Convention Centre (BICC) at Baneshwor, Kathmandu, where the Miss Nepal 2007 before the start of Miss Nepal 2007 contest on Saturday, Apr 07 07. Protesters trying to

Sitashma Chand won the Dabur Vatika Miss Nepal 2007 title in the finale of the annual beauty pageant held at the Birendra International Convention Centre, Kathmandu, Saturday evening.

Chand, a commerce graduate, won the title leaving behind 18 other contestants. Former Miss Nepal Sugarika K.C crowned 23 years old Chand, who hails from Lalitpur district.

Bandana Sharma and Sweta Shah, both from Lalitpur, were declared first and second runner-up of the Miss Nepal contest. Sharma and Shah, who are of the same age, 22, are both BBS students.

Miss Nepal Chand, who bagged a cash prize of Rs 100,000 and a motorbike, will represent Nepal in the forthcoming Miss World contest.

Dabur Nepal, the subsidiary of Indian multinational company Dabur India Ltd, sponsored the contest organised by the Hidden Treasure.

The contest, which was telecasted live on the state-run Nepal Television, was organised amidst heavy security as thousands of women rights activists and political cadres staged protest outside the BICC demanding that the contest be stopped.

Over 18 people protesters were injured when they clashed with the police. The protesters also burned down the welcome gate at the BICC entrance and tore the banners put up by the organisers.

Saying that Miss Nepal contest is an exploitation of women for promoting business, some 25 organisations including Maoist women wing had joined in protest.