Former Nepal deputy PM arrested as ‘indefinite’ pro-monarchy protest enters Day 4

Wait 5 sec.

Nepal's former deputy prime minister and chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal Kamal Thapa. (Source: Facebook)Nepal’s former deputy prime minister and chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal Kamal Thapa and a half a dozen others were arrested after they tried to enter a restricted area during a pro-monarchy protest in Kathmandu on Sunday, police said.To reinstate monarchy and establish Nepal as a Hindu state, the pro-monarchy groups, including the RPP and RPP Nepal, protested at Narayan Chaur on the fourth day of the “indefinite” agitation.Rajendra Lingden, the RPP president and a staunch supporter of the monarchy, was leading the protest when agitators tried to break the security cordon and move towards Baluwatar, the prime minister’s official residence, and clashed with the police, Kathmandu Valley Police spokesperson Apil Bohora said.Bohara said Thapa and others were arrested for violating the restricted zone around the Narayanhiti Palace Museum area.Later, Rastriya Prajatantra Party leader and member of Parliament Deepak Bahadur Singh was taken into custody at District Police precincts where he went to meet Thapa, who was under detention. Singh and Thapa were released a few hours later.Hundreds of pro-monarchy supporters, chanting slogans against the republican system and in favour of monarchy, participated in the protest. They carried photographs of former king Gyanendra Shah and chanted slogans against the Prime Minister K P Oli-led government.Police and Armed Police Force, Nepal’s para-military force, were deployed in additional numbers across the capital on Sunday, a day after the monarchists had marched close to the residence of the Prime Minister on Saturday.Story continues below this adLingden, who chaired a party meeting, said the arrest of the two leaders would only help them bring more people on the street.The “indefinite” movement seeking restoration of Nepal’s pre-2008 status of Hindu Kingdom began on May 29.(With PTI inputs)Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd