Activists arrested for protesting against Nepal parliament's dissolution

Twenty five human rights activists were detained here on Monday after they clashed with the police while staging demonstrations against the dissolution of the House of Representatives by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Police used water cannons and batons against the protesters who broke the police barricade and moved towards the Prime Minister's residence, according to eyewitnesses. The human rights activists were staging a symbolic protest against the House dissolution at the recommendation of Prime Minister Oli.

“Police used excessive force against the peaceful agitators,” said a human rights activist, who took part in the protest.

The protestors were carrying placards with slogans such as "down with totalitarianism", "reinstate House of Representatives".

Police have detained 25 human rights activists, including senior human rights activist Krishna Pahari from the incident site.

The Baluwatar area, where the Prime Minister's official residence is located, remained tense following the protest.

Nepal plunged into a political crisis on December 20 after Oli, in a surprise move recommended dissolving the 275-member House, amidst a tussle for power with the chairman of the Nepal Communist Party's splinter faction Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda.

Acting on the prime minister's recommendation, President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the House the same day and announced fresh elections on April 30 and May 10, sparking protests from a large section of the NCP led by Prachanda, also a co-chair of the ruling party.