Security beefed up ahead of protests by two political parties against each other, government: Official

Kathmandu, Nov 22 (PTI) Nepalese Police on Wednesday stepped up security in the country's national capital on the eve of the proposed protests by two political parties against each other and the government, authorities said.

The move came after the Kathmandu district administration on Monday issued a month-long restrictive order to prevent any law and order situation after two opposition political groups --CPN-UML and pro-monarchist Durga Prasai group-- proposed to have protests against each other and the government.

On Wednesday, Nepal Police mobilised around 10,000 police personnel under the command of Deputy Inspector General of Police Lalmani Acharya to maintain law and order and to prevent any untoward incident, sources at Police Headquarters told media persons.

Both political parties are gathering their cadres and supporters from different districts outside Kathmandu to the capital city to show their muscles on Thursday.

However, the authorities claimed that they had information that after the District Administration Office issued restriction orders in and around the city's central areas, both parties changed their venues.

The Youth Organisation Nepal (YON) belonging to UML will organise the protest rally at Tinkune near the Tribhuvan International Airport and the Durga Prasai Group is organising the protest rally in the Balkhu area on the outskirts of Kathmandu on Thursday.

Earlier, both the groups had announced to organise the protest rally at Maitighar Mandala near the Prime Minister’s office.

According to the police authorities, water canons and drones are kept ready to avert any kind of confrontation between the two groups, said Nepal Police sources. PTI SBP RUP RUP