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Lawyers shot in Kathmandu rally

A family looks out of a window as police officers stand guard on a street in Kathmandu yesterday. The US canceled a congressional visit to Nepal and allowed some embassy workers to leave the Himalayan nation after a fourth fatal shooting by security forces amid violent demonstrations. PHOTO: AP

Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas on lawyers protesting against the king's rule yesterday in Nepal's capital, wounding three of them, as demonstrations and an opposition general strike continued for an eighth day.

Two lawyers were hit with rubber bullets and one with a tear gas canister fired by police, who also used batons to beat them, said Madhav Baskota, general secretary of the Nepal Bar Association.

Dozens of lawyers were wounded after police hit them with batons while at least 70 were arrested, Baskota said.

Those who were wounded were taken to hospitals in Kathmandu for treatment.

The demonstration began when about 500 lawyers came out of the association's office in the heart of the Kathmandu waving banners and shouting anti-government slogans in a campaign to push King Gyanendra to relinquish direct control over the government.

The association's office is located next to a compound that contains all of the government ministries. It is also across from the army headquarters.

The government has banned rallies in Kathmandu and surrounding areas.

The protesting lawyers had managed to march a few meters when they were stopped by police who beat them up with bamboo batons, fired a few rounds of tear gas and then opened fire.

Police were still stationed outside the association office long after the clashes and one police official at the scene said they had orders not to allow any protests and to use force to prevent them.

About 1,000 protesters later gathered on the northwestern edge of Kathmandu for a protest rally which remained peaceful. The Gangabu neighborhood was the site of violent clashes between protesters and security forces on Tuesday.

``We want Democracy. Down with autocracy,'' chanted the protesters at the rally which was being addressed by some senior politicians.

Police kept close watch but did not intervene. An official at the site said as long as it was outside the city limits, they would not interfere.

The US, meanwhile, canceled a congressional visit to Nepal and allowed some embassy workers to leave the nation after a fourth fatal shooting by security forces during increasingly violent pro-democracy demonstrations.
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