Tez Kumari Subedi, a student of Pashupati Multiple College, was hit by a tanker at around 6:30pm while she was walking on the road. [break]Subedi was rushed to Om Nursing Home and admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU). She was said to be in critical condition with severe injuries below waist.
Tension mounted at Mitrapark as the demonstrators, who took to the street demanding action against the driver and compensation to the victim, clashed with the police. It took around six hours for the police personnel, mobilized in large numbers, to normalize the situation. Half a dozen media reporters and photographers were also beaten up by the cops inside the premises of the nearby college.
The scuffle took place at around 11am when bachelor first and third year examinations at Tri-chandra College and Padmakanya Campus were about to begin. The college administration canceled the examinations because the situation went out of control and many examinees were beaten up by cops.
“We tried to control the situation by using minimum force. Around 30 cops including field commanders are wounded,” said SP Puskar Karki, the Chief of Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu. Karki alleged that the student leaders acted irresponsibly as they contributed to fuel the unrest. "The college administration asked us to normalize the situation so that they could conduct the examinations," he said.
According to the president of Free Students Union of the college Manoj Baidhya, police entered the college premises forcefully and baton-charged students and examinees indiscriminately. Police had also fired a few tear-gas shells to disperse demonstrators.
Some examinees, who were watching the scuffle from a distance, said they were also baton-charged by the cops. They said the cops even snatched their purses and mobiles.
“I was also attacked by cops. I somehow managed to save my head and camera when they kicked and struck me with batons. Many other reporters where attacked,” said Republica´s photojournalist Bijaya Rai.
The tanker driver has been at large after the accident but the police said they are in contact with the owner.
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