Mahendranagar: At least 30 people — 16 police personnel, 12 students and two journalists — got injured when students demanding budget for the proposed Far-Western University clashed with police in Mahendranagar today. Police detained 15 demonstrators in course of the clashes that erupted after police baton-charged the demonstrators, injuring Subharambha daily’s reporter Tek Kunwar and Umesh Awasti of Janakranti daily. Awasti had his camera and mobile phone set broken in the incident.

The detainees are in the custody of Kanchanpur district police office, while all of the injured except Manoj Chand, former president of the Nepal Student Union’s Siddhanath Multiple Campus unit, and head constable Karna Bahadur Budha are

receiving treatment at the Mahakali Zonal Hospital. Their condition is said to be normal.

Seriously injured, Chand and Budha have been flown to Kathmandu for treatment.

The students have been agitating for a week demanding funds for the proposed regional varsity and the appointment of a chancellor, among others.

Mahendranagar remained tense throughout the day due to frequent clashes between the demonstrators and police, who tear-gassed the demonstrators to bring the situation under control.

MA first year exam at the Siddhanath Science Campus got disrupted as the demonstrators entered the campus and created disturbance.

Meanwhile, a joint struggle committee formed to spearhead the agitation took out a rally in support of the students.

Nepali Congress Constituent Assembly members from the region have condemned police highhandedness. In a press release, the Constituent Assembly members have demanded that the government meet allocate funds for the proposed university and address other demands put forward by the students.

The lawmakers have also demanded that the government provide free treatment to the injured and take steps to put an end to ‘highhandedness’ of police.

source: The Himalayan Times