Kathmandu, Feb 26: Suspected Maoists carried out two bomb explosions in the capital city on Wednesday even as the general strike called by the pro-Maoists student group shut down Nepal. The bombs exploded near Saraswati campus, Sohrakhutte and Tahachal education campus and there was no casualty, a police official said.
Educational institutions and business houses remained closed in the capital and most vehicles stayed off the roads in response to the first day strike. Riot police and soldiers patrolled the streets.
The All Nepal National Free Students' Union (Revolutionary), linked with the rebels, had called for a five-day strike to disrupt college elections scheduled to be held today. The student unions affiliated to major political parties have said that they would use the election as ''the movement against the regression”.
Meanwhile, seven Maoists were gunned down by security forces during clashes in various parts of the country, the defence ministry said and added the Maoists shot dead a sub inspector in Rupandehi district.
Home ministry spokesman Gopendra Bahadur Pandey said the government had arranged adequate security measures to foil the strike.
This is the fourth strike call in less than a month, made by three different Maoists groups.
The college elections are seen as a key indicator of political support and are second in importance only to the national elections. Student wings of mainstream parties have condemned the disruption and the authorities have vowed to hold the elections as scheduled.
Bureau Report