In Kathmandu, student unions affiliated with the main opposition Nepali Congress took to the streets, throwing vehicular movement out of gear in the capital. The protests paralyzed traffic in the capital almost throughout the afternoon, starting 12 noon.
According to the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Ramshahpath, agitating students vandalized a vehicle belonging to Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) at Chabahil.
The cadres of Nepal Students Union (NSU) staged demonstrations outside various colleges, including Tri-Chandra College, Pashupati Multiple College and Saraswati Campus.
The agitating students also obstructed traffic movement in Koteshwar, New Baneshwar, Putalisadak, Gaushala, Gangabu Chowk, around the Singha Durbar eastern gate, Sitapaila, Chabahil, Gaushala and Kalanki Chowk, among other places, by burning tires and chanting strong slogans against the government.
Apprehensive of the possible violence that could occur during a victory rally organized by the Maoists to celebrate the dismissal of army chief Katawal and of the possible curfew orders that could be issued, only a few vehicles chose to ply on Kathmandu´s main thoroughfares. Traffic police had barred public vehicles from entering into the main city areas for fear of possible violence.
In the afternoon, Maoist cadres organized a victory rally at Ratnapark. Separate rallies from various parts of the Kathmandu Valley had snaked around the city before converging at the meeting at Ratnapark.
Our reporter from Nepalgunj said that the NSU staged a rally in the city to protest the government decision to relieve army chief Katawal. However, Maoists cadres also staged a “victory” rally over the government decision. To hold the rally, they had bussed in cadres from various parts of the districts, even flouting the strike called by the Tharuhat Joint Struggle Committee.
In Pokhara, Maoist cadres staged a rally in support of the government´s decision; the rally was participated in by students, Young Communist League (YCL) cadres and cadres of other sister organizations.
In Dang, the Maoist´s People´s Liberation Army (PLA) of Dang, the Dirgha Smriti Brigade, celebrated the dismissal of the army chief by smearing vermilion powder on each others´ faces.
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