June 19, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 14, 1429

KATHMANDU: Taxis, buses and cars went off the streets in the Nepali capital on Wednesday, as hundreds of students burned tyres and blocked roads in new protests against a recent hike in fuel prices and transport fares, police said.

Last week, Nepal’s state-run oil firm increased petrol and diesel prices by about 25 percent, to cut losses due to a global rise in fuel prices and meet a domestic shortage of fuel.

Transport operators immediately increased fares by 25 to 35 per cent for taxis and buses, causing some protests.

But on Wednesday, scores of students took to the streets in Kathmandu, in a fresh demonstration.

“The fuel price increase must be rolled back immediately,” said Dipak Bhattarai, president of the Free Students’ Union.

Next to him, dozens of students burned tyres in the heart of the city to keep drivers off the roads during rush hour.

—Reuters