Strike hits life in western Nepal

KATHMANDU, May 20: Almost all districts in three zones of west Nepal were affected by a strike called by Brahmin Society on Friday.



Public transport, schools and factories were closed down in various 14 districts of Gandaki, Dhaulagiri and Lumbini zones. [break]



According to Republica correspondent Tek Narayan Bhattarai, strike enforcers vandalized an ambulance in Palpa for allegedly carrying passengers. The ambulance (Lu. 1 Cha 3244), operated by Lumbini Medical College, was heading for Pravash from Tansen. Police arrested three for vandalizing the ambulance.



Police released all three vandals after the group members picketed the District Police Office (DPO) of Palpa. Police also freed Santosh Khanal, Palpa in-charge of the society, who was arrested for enforcing the strike, after the agitators warned of an indefinite strike.



Meanwhile, the agitators also burnt bundles of Republica and Nagarik daily in Kotihewa of Rupandehi district for not carrying the news about their call for strike. The strike was called against the concept of ethnic-based federalism.

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