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Nepal detains 45 stranded Chinese after demo turns violent
KATHMANDU, May 8, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Nepal police on Friday arrested 45
Chinese nationals stranded in the country because of coronavirus restrictions
after a protest turned violent, authorities said.
Holding placards such as “I want to go home!” they attempted to push
towards a prohibited zone near the prime minister’s office in Kathmandu.
Some police as well as demonstrators were injured after police used batons
to stop them and the protesters threw stones.
“They may face charges of protesting in the restricted zone and violating
the lockdown under existing laws,” police spokeswoman Kiran Bajracharya told
AFP.
Nepal suspended international flights on March 22 as part of precautionary
measures against the spread of the coronavirus, and remain so until at least
May 31.
While several countries, including the US, the UK, Australia and France
have chartered evacuation flights for their citizens in Nepal, no official
flights have been made to rescue stranded Chinese nationals.
BSS/AFP/MRU/2045hrs