The Nepali government clamped curfew orders on the Ring Road area in Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts from Wednesday night.

Issuing separate public notices, the District Administration Offices of Kathmandu and Lalitpur said that the curfew orders will be effective from 11:00 p.m. Wednesday to 3:00 a.m. Thursday local time.

The curfew orders were issued just one day ahead of the beginning of the four-day general strike of the seven-party alliance. The Kathmandu administration said that the curfew was imposed to maintain peace and security in the capital.

Earlier Wednesday, security personnel arrested at least three dozen leaders of some political parties from their homes while riot police arrested around 40 people during a demonstration in Kathmandu.

The protest rally was defying the government ban order on demonstrations.

On Tuesday evening, local authorities in Kathmandu and Lalitpur issued prohibitory orders on all kinds of public meetings within the Ring Road area.

The opposition parties have announced a four-day general strike and a rally to be held on April 6-9 against the year-old direct rule of the King.

The government imposed a day-long curfew in January this year on the day the opposition alliance planned a massive rally.

The Nepali capital Kathmandu Valley comprises Kathmandu and Lalitpur cities in Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts.

Source: Xinhua