KATHMANDU, April 3: Thousands of anti-monarchy protesters threw stones and torched cars on Saturday as they shut down Kathmandu in a strike to denounce clashes outside the king's palace that left 205 people hurt.

Maoist rebels fighting to topple the monarchy offered moral support to the estimated 25,000 demonstrators, who marched from across the capital to a central square chanting slogans demanding a return to democracy.

The protesters, a few of them hauling bags full of stones, converged on a park outside Narayanhiti Palace where some of them lobbed rocks at a sea of police, who dispersed them with tear gas, witnesses said.

No injuries were reported, but at the same place the day before baton-wielding police broke up the crowd when demonstrators tried to break down a barbed-wire barricade.-AFP

Opinion

Editorial

Narcotic darkness
08 May, 2024

Narcotic darkness

WE have plenty of smoke with fire. Citizens, particularly parents, caught in Pakistan’s grave drug problem are on...
Saudi delegation
08 May, 2024

Saudi delegation

PLANS to bring Saudi investment to Pakistan have clearly been put on the fast track. Over the past month, Prime...
Reserved seats
Updated 08 May, 2024

Reserved seats

The truth is that the entire process — from polls, announcement of results, formation of assemblies and elections to the Senate — has been mishandled.
Impending slaughter
Updated 07 May, 2024

Impending slaughter

Seven months into the slaughter, there are no signs of hope.
Wheat investigation
07 May, 2024

Wheat investigation

THE Shehbaz Sharif government is in a sort of Catch-22 situation regarding the alleged wheat import scandal. It is...
Naila’s feat
07 May, 2024

Naila’s feat

IN an inspirational message from the base camp of Nepal’s Mount Makalu, Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani stressed...