Police have used tear gas and water cannon on Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) cadres protesting against the arrest of RSP President Rabi Lamichhane.
RSP cadres staged a protest at Shahid Chowk of Pokhara on Sunday afternoon. The Kaski district administration has designated Sahid Chowk a prohibited area.
Police initially used water cannon on the protestors saying they did not pay heed to repeated requests to leave the prohibited area.
The district administration has prohibited gatherings of more than five people in prohibited areas.
Police personnel and the protesting RSP cadres were also involved in a scuffle.
Police said they then fired tear gas at the protestors to disperse the crowd.
A team from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police led by SP Habindra Bogati arrested Lamichhane from the party office in Kathmandu on Friday after the Kaski District Court issued an arrest warrant for Lamichhane and 13 others on the request of Kaski Police earlier that day. He was brought to Pokhara on Friday night.
Police produced Lamichhane before the Kaski District Court on Sunday afternoon seeking his custody for investigation into the charges against him.
Talking to journalists on the court premises, Lamichhane expressed belief that the court would give him justice. He also appealed for nationwide protests against the government led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
