Vandalism on Day III bandh, no respite for people

With the capital city cut off from the rest of the country, the indefinite nationwide blockade imposed by the UCPN-Maoist threw Kathmandu Valley out of gear for the third day in a row. Worse still, belligerent Maoist activists resorted to vandalism at several places.

A group of bandh enforcers vandalised at least two dozen shops in Anamnagar this morning for allegedly defying the general strike and selling essential food commodities. Goods and properties worth over three lakhs were damaged.

“No sooner had a van unloaded four crates of milk, than a group of Maoists came to the scene and threw the crates into

Dhobi Khola,” said a shopkeeper. “They didn’t spare a single shop that was open in the locality”.

In a separate incident, Maoist activists vandalised a bus belonging to Nepal Yatayat and a taxi in the premises of Makalu Petrol Pump in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-14.

Police also arrested three persons with iron rods in Balaju. The arrested have been identified as Ashish Thapa Magar and Narayan Thapa Magar from Manamaiju and Dinesh Pariyar from Dhading.

In another incident on Monday night, Maoist cadres attacked policeman Binod Adhikari in Gongabu. According to police, Adhikari was returning to his rented room in Swoyambhu when a group of YCL cadres got hold of him, took him to their camp and merci

lessly beat him up. His posting was in the Embassy of Pakistan in Maharajgunj. They attacked on him with an iron rod. He has sustained serious injures in the spine and head.

Hundreds of demonstrators carrying sticks fanned out every corner of the city clamouring for Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’s resignation.

Commercial hubs, educational institutions and shops remained shut due to fear of Maoist attack, while means of transportation other than ambulances and those belonging to security agencies, the press, diplomatic missions and milk vans and water tankers stayed off the road. According to police, demonstrators vandalised more private and public properties today than on previous days.

Commuters continued to remain at the receiving end, forced as they were, to cover long distances on foot in the scorching sun.

Some complained they could not even find an ambulance to take their ailing loved ones to hospital due to the bandh. “I could not find an ambulance even though I offered double the hiring amount. If the strike was not on, I could have easily found a taxi,” Birendra Bahadur Chhetri, a resident of Old Baneshwor complained.

“Even the doctor refused to make house visit to examine my mother who suffers from asthma”.

The situation is no better in hospitals. Patients coming to Kathmandu for treatment are stranded. “We are running out of money and finding it diffi

cult to meet the expenses here.

We have been staying at the hospital as there is no means of transportation home, even though my wife was discharged yesterday,” Homnath Aryal from Tanahun said. He had brought his wife to Bir Hospital after she complained of chest pain. Dr Sushil Kumar Shakya, in-charge of Emergency Ward, Bir Hospital, said the patients were having a tough time due to the strike.

Demonstrators chanting anti-government slogans and waving party flags staged protest and corner meetings at New Baneshwor, Koteshwor, Tripureshwor, Kalanki, Putalisadak, Chabahil, Gongabu, Kupondole and Maharajgunj among other places. Maoist politburo members leading the protest rallies vowed the strike wouldn’t end until the

prime minister stepped down.

Unlike yesterday, no clash between demonstrators and riot police was reported. The rallies were generally peaceful and demonstrators respected the restricted zones.

Demanding the prime minister’s resignation, formation of a national coalition government and the new constitution, the Maoists staged a chain rally at major sections of the Ring Road on the third day of the general strike today.

UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Mohan Baidya ‘Kiran’ along with other senior leaders travelled on a mini-truck in between the human chain through the 28km Ring Road. Vehicles belonging to human rights groups and ambulances were restricted.