Police have taken Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa into custody.
Thapa was detained by police during a demonstration by royalists at Narayanchaur in Naxal of Kathmandu on Sunday.
Superintendent of Police Apil Raj Bohara of the District Police Range, Kathmandu, said that Thapa and five others have been detained. According to him, Thapa had incited the crowd to move forward.
Police detained Thapa on charges of attempting to breach a restricted area and making provocative statements to incite the crowd. It is not clear what exactly Thapa said, but police claim he urged the crowd to surround Baluwatar.
"He was leading the protest. He incited the crowd by telling them to march toward Baluwatar. There was also a minor scuffle," Bohara said. "After that, he and five others were taken into custody."
Those detained include Shila Rana, Rakesh Basnet, Ram Chandra Lamichhane, Binod Kapali, and Saroj Timsina.
They have been kept at the District Police Range in Bhadrakali.
After police detained Thapa, RPP Chairman Rajendra Lingden announced plans to call supporters from across the country to join the movement.
“We will call our friends from all over the country, and the real battle will begin tomorrow,” he said. “Now, we will come out from 50 places, not one place. Kamal Thapa must be brought here now and released with honor.”
RPP Spokesperson Mohan Shrestha objected to Thapa's detention, claiming that he was manhandled and mistreated.
He condemned the "brutal attack on a peaceful protest" as state oppression and demanded the immediate release of Thapa and all those detained.
The “Joint People's Movement Committee” led by Nawaraj Subedi has been holding demonstrations since May 29 as part of its indefinite “People’s Movement.”
The movement is supported by the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), RPP Nepal, and other pro-monarchy parties and groups.
The Subedi-led committee launched the movement demanding the restoration of monarchy, reinstatement of Nepal as a Hindu nation, and abolition of federalism, among others.
