Kathmandu, Sept 11: At least 40 journalists of Nepalese dailies and weeklies were detained today while staging a demonstration to protest the weekend killing of a journalist by Maoist rebels, witnesses said. The government last month imposed a ban on protests in Kathmandu and other centres following the unilateral withdrawal from a seven-month truce by the rebels last month and amid mounting public agitation against Nepal's King.


About 150 journalists took part in today's demonstration, organised by the Nepal Federation of Journalists (NFJ) and the 'Nepal Chautari' (journalists' forum) against the killing of Gyanendra Khadka by the rebels.

Witnesses said that Maoists on Sunday dragged khadka, a teacher and part-time reporter, out of his classroom, tied him to a post and publicly beheaded him.

Khadka, 35, filed for the state Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) agency, which said its reporter was killed with a traditional curved knife, known as a Khukri, in the eastern Sindhupalchowk district.


Police today moved in quickly to prevent the protesting reporters marching through the heart of Kathmandu, a witness said.
"The peaceful silent rally was to have made its way around the city centre but they were stopped by police," the witness said.

Those rounded up included NFJ vice president Gopal Budhathoki and NFJ central committee members, as well as the president of the reporters club, Rishi Dhamala.


Bureau Report