Normal life across the country has been affected by the general strike called by the Dahal-Nepal faction of ruling CPN on Thursday.
Only a few public transportation vehicles and private four-wheelers are on the streets in the Kathmandu Valley but plenty of two-wheelers are on the roads. Shops are largely closed but pharmacies and some grocery stores are open.
Cadres of the faction have vandalized a few vehicles in the Valley. They set a taxi (Pr 3-01 002 Ja 5881) on fire at Gongabu, according to SSP with the Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu Ashok Singh. The taxi of Khumba Narayan Shrestha from Dhading has been completely destroyed.
The strike enforcers also vandalized a passenger bus at Mitra Park and a Tata Sumo jeep at Gongabu.
Students affiliated to the faction and cadres are demonstrating and obstructing vehicular movement at many places inside the Valley.
Some central leaders and many cadres of the faction have been arrested from the Valley. Central member Bishnu Rijal told Setopati that standing committee members Ashta Laxmi Shakya and Hit Man Shakya, central member Amrita Thapa and others have been arrested from Kalanki.
The police, meanwhile, have escorted 10 micro-buses that left for Kathmandu from Pokhara even as the shops and streets are closed there.
The general strike has also affected normal life in Dang and surrounding districts. There is no vehicular movement in the East West Highway, according to the police. The major cities are closed while factories are also shut down.
The general strike has affected normal life in Butwal with the markets closed and vehicular movement stopped. The CPN faction of Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli had said it will retaliate against the strike but the faction's cadres have yet to come to the streets.
Vehicular movement has been stopped even in Biratnagar where only a few two-wheelers and rickshaws are on the streets.
