Students protesting hikes in POL prices smashed three trucks in Butwal Friday, reports from the town said. Students and police fought running battles in Butwal the whole day during a day long strike in Rupendehai district.

A huge backlog of vehicles waited at the border to enter Nepal through Bhairawa customs point in Rupendehai. The strike also affected Palpa, a major town in the district as well, reports said.

The capital was engulfed in darkness for several minutes after 7:30 in the evening in response to a call by students to switch off lights in protest. In a related development, Union Petroleum Minister Ram Naik informed the Lok Sabha in New Delhi Thursday prices of all petroleum products were likely to come down in the next few days because of a steep fall in international crude prices. nepalnews.com br April 11