Only a few motorcycles and three-wheelers are seen on the streets in Kathmandu. Public vehicles have chosen to remain off the streets for fear of vandalism. All academic institutions and businesses have remained shut.
Strike enforcers vandalized some vehicles at Koteshwar and Kalanki areas in the morning.
Superintendent of Police Nawa Raj Silwal, chief of Metropolitan Police Range Office, Kathmandu, said police have arrested 41 individuals for vandalizing vehicles and obstructing traffic movement in various parts of Kathmandu. The arrested had vandalized two vehicles in Dhungeadda and one another in Kalanki to enforce their banda.
The banda in Kathmandu also coincides with a rally being organized by ruling Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who is also Chairman of the party, is scheduled to address a mass meeting at the Open Theater in the capital this afternoon.
Police officials said they have beefed up security in view of possible clashes between the banda organizers and the cadres of ruling Maoist party as the former want to thwart the Maoist rally.
The nationwide banda was jointly called by People´s Front Nepal led by Dan Bahadur Bishwokarma, Communist Party of Nepal (United) and the Revolutionary Left Wing. Matrika Yadav-led Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has also supported the banda.
The banda has affected life in many parts of the country including Pyuthan, Baglung, Gorkha, Kaski and Udayapur.
A passenger bus (Na 3 Kha 917) was torched in Basa of Nawalparasi district. Four trucks (Na 2 Kha 7638, Na 2 Kha 7639, Na 2 Kha 4221 and Na 2 Kha 4888) were torched in Butwal. A government van bearing registration number Ra 1 Jha 12 also was vandalized.
The three communist parties called the banda to protest ´deviation´ by Unified CPN (Maoist) from communist ideology and abandoning people´s revolution. The banda was organized to mark the day when popular movement for democracy became successful in 1990.
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