KATHMANDU: Army was called out and curfew was imposed in certain’ areas of the capital Kathmandu Friday as fresh violence erupted after a day’s lull resulting in the death of at least 50 persons in firing by security forces.
Unconfirmed reports however put the toll at 150. The security forces opened fire on some two lakh pro-democracy protesters who were advancing towards the Narayanhity royal palace breaking the police cordon, political sources, including a senior member of Rashtriya Panchayat told.
Israeli trained commandos were posted in all the sensitive areas, including the Royal palace and certain houses in Kathmandu which were attacked and in Maharajghat.
The sources said a similar house near Putali Sadak was damaged and attempts were made to set in on fire. The Panchayat building near new road was attacked and set ablaze.
The house of Sarad Chandra Shah, a former chairman of the national population commission known to be a hardliner and close to sacked premier Marich Man Singh Shresha was also set ablaze in Dilli Bazar area.
At least 13 persons were killed, mostly in police firing on demonstrators at different places in Kathmandu on Monday night, a member of the newly formed human rights committee of the Nepal medical association said here Wednesday.
The member requesting anonymity, said while several bodies from Kirtipur were held back by the people from the police, three bodies of persons suspected to have been killed at Naradevi were kept hidden at the Mahendra police club.
Government however Wednesday said only five persons had been killed in police firing on Monday.
The Kathmandu valley observed a total black out for over an hour as the main power switches were put off in the evening. Airport sources said they were working on emergency power. Even after power was restored people observed a complete black out in their houses.
The situation took a serious turn with the pilots of the government owned Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation refusing to operate domestic flights Wednesday morning, air pot sources said. The protest lasted for five hours from 0700 hrs. to 1200 hrs. Wednesday.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 13, 1990
