Defying curfew thousands demonstrate in Kathmandu

Kathmandu, April 21 (UNI) Thousands of people today took to the Ring Road areas of Kathmandu defying the curfew on the second day demanding establishment of democracy in the Himalayan nation.

People from neighbouring villages came down to the Ring Road areas chanting slogans in favour of democracy and demanding the bodies of the people shot dead by security forces yesterday.

Security forces killed three persons and injured over 100 in Kalanki areas of Kathmandu yesterday.

The demonstrators have declared Kalanki Chowk as Loktantra Chowk, after chasing the security forces from there, a reporter of Kantipur said from the scene.

They are demanding the bodies and warning leaders not to make any compromise with the king until complete democracy is not restored.

The government has imposed curfew from 009hrs to 2000hrs inside Ring Road areas and 200 metres outside the Ring Road second day today. However, thousands of people have come to the streets defying the curfews.

Thousands of people have crossed the Ring road in Gongabu areas, Kantipur reporter said from Samakhusi inside the Ring road.

Demonstrations are also held in other places in and around Ring road.

Security forces with armoured vehicles have been mobilised to control the demonstrators, who are demanding the end of autocratic rule of King Gyanendra.

The demonstrators are shouting slogans ' Gyanendra leave the country, we want to establish full fledged democracy.' Over one lakh people came to the Ring Road areas yesterday demanding the restoration of democracy in the Himalayan Kingdom defying curfew.

Such huge rallies were also taken out in Pokhara, Chitwan, Dang, Gulariya, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj and other major cities and towns across the country.

One person injured in army firing in Gulariya died while being taken to Lucknow, India for treatment yesterday.

At least nine persons have been shot dead, over 1,500 injured and more than 4,000 detained since the fresh round of movement launched against the King began two weeks ago.

UNI XC SB BST1359