The journalists were manhandled after they tried to speak with the former king. Nepal Police and Armed Police Force personnel violently pushed the journalists who tried to move nearer to the former king to ask some questions to him while he was preparing to get into his land cruiser to leave the venue. [break]
In the ensuing scuffle, president of Kavre chapter of Federation of Nepali Journalists and correspondent of Nepal Television Bhola Thapa fell and sustained injuries in his hand. Similarly, correspondent of Kantipur daily Manoj Basnet also sustained injury. Sagarmatha TV´s Bhaktapur reporter Sushil Bandu´s camera broke into pieces.
RSS reported 17 journalists were injured in the incident. The insulted journalists later chanted slogans against the former king and security personnel. Bhaktapur and Kavre chapters of the FNJ condemned the incident and denounced the misbehavior meted out by security men to the journalists.
Earlier, the former king was welcomed by Mata Satyadevi, students of Mahendra Police School, Sanga, and a few locals.
After offering puja at the temple, Gyanendra donated Rs 200,000 to a mahayagya that is ongoing at the temple, according to priest Shivabhakta. The mahayagya is being organized to collect funds to upgrade Mahendra Secondary School into a higher secondary school.
Many plainclothes security personnel were also mobilized for the former king´s security.
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