In what is seen as yet another evidence of ‘zero tolerance’ policy of the royal regime towards anti-government protests, police on Thursday opened fire at a peaceful rally being carried out by the Nepal Bar Association (NBA) in the capital, Kathmandu, Thursday morning without provocation.
Lawyers Ramchandra Simkhada, Bharat Mani Gautam, Tanka Chaulagain have received bullet injuries while over a
dozen lawyers, including NBA president Shambhu Thapa, were injured in police baton charging.
Police have manhandled and arrested over 50 lawyers from the rally.
According to a Nepalnews correspondent who was on the scene, police first tried to stop the rally of nearly 400 lawyers-- who were donning black coats-- as it was coming out of the central office of the Nepal Bar Association at 9:20 a. m.. Seven police vans were parked outside the NBA to stop the demonstration. The lawyers, anyhow, managed to break through the police cordon and proceeded towards Babarmahal past Maitighar Mandala.
Police pursued the rally—that was heading towards New Baeswore, which doesn’t fall in the ‘prohibited zone—and opened fire all of a sudden from the backside of the rally. Police personnel then threw tear gas shells targeting NBA president Thapa, advocate Indra Lohani and other lawyers.
“All the journalists and lawyers are Maoists,” a police officer was heard as saying as enraged policemen were raining batons on the peaceful demonstrators. There was no warning and nobody knew why the police was using force.
NBA and rights groups have condemned the police action on a peaceful demonstration with strongest possible words.
NBA—that represents over 5,000 practicing lawyers -- was the first professional body in the country that termed the seizure of power by King Gyanendra as ‘unconstitutional’ and demanded resignation of the royal government.
NBA has been in the forefront of a civic movement calling for respect to human rights and rule of law in the country.
Inujured lawyers including Thapa are undergoing treatment at the Kathmandu Model hospital while other detained lawyers are being kept at the Covered Hall, Dasarath Stadium, Tripureswore.
Lawyers Ramchandra Simkhada, Bharat Mani Gautam, Tanka Chaulagain have received bullet injuries while over a
dozen lawyers, including NBA president Shambhu Thapa, were injured in police baton charging.Police have manhandled and arrested over 50 lawyers from the rally.
According to a Nepalnews correspondent who was on the scene, police first tried to stop the rally of nearly 400 lawyers-- who were donning black coats-- as it was coming out of the central office of the Nepal Bar Association at 9:20 a. m.. Seven police vans were parked outside the NBA to stop the demonstration. The lawyers, anyhow, managed to break through the police cordon and proceeded towards Babarmahal past Maitighar Mandala.
Police pursued the rally—that was heading towards New Baeswore, which doesn’t fall in the ‘prohibited zone—and opened fire all of a sudden from the backside of the rally. Police personnel then threw tear gas shells targeting NBA president Thapa, advocate Indra Lohani and other lawyers.
“All the journalists and lawyers are Maoists,” a police officer was heard as saying as enraged policemen were raining batons on the peaceful demonstrators. There was no warning and nobody knew why the police was using force.
NBA and rights groups have condemned the police action on a peaceful demonstration with strongest possible words.
NBA—that represents over 5,000 practicing lawyers -- was the first professional body in the country that termed the seizure of power by King Gyanendra as ‘unconstitutional’ and demanded resignation of the royal government.
NBA has been in the forefront of a civic movement calling for respect to human rights and rule of law in the country.
Inujured lawyers including Thapa are undergoing treatment at the Kathmandu Model hospital while other detained lawyers are being kept at the Covered Hall, Dasarath Stadium, Tripureswore.
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