KATHMANDU, Feb 2 Kyodo (EDS: UPDA...

KATHMANDU, Feb 2 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH STRIKE-RELATED VIOLENCE)

Nepalese police baton-charged an antimonarchy profess march in Kathmandu in succession Monday, resulting in a fierce clash in which dozens of learners political activists and policemen were injured, eyewitnesses said.

Police intervened when flag-waving protester marching in a procession by means of the capital's main thoroughfare raised slogans against King Gyanendra for having failed to restore democracy.

The king in October 2002 dismissed an fix uponed prime minister and seized executive power for himself.

near of the protesters were detained by way of police, the eyewitnesses said.

Police also forcibly dispersed a slogan-shouting vulgar herd of protesters in the adjoining city of Bhaktapur, injuring brace people.

The dawn-to-dusk strike paralyzed life in the capital and four other cities in the Kathmandu Valley.

Businesses and educational institutions were clos and vehicular traffic stayed mainly off the streets. Government offices were make open although attendance was reported to be thin.

The strike was called by dint of five political parties, including the country's brace largest, and their student wings to attest against police intervention in their earlier antimonarchy protests

Political parties are demanding that King Gyanendra reply executive powers to the the public by restoring the House of Representatives, dissolved 20 month ago.

The parties have resorted to road protests lately in which a certain number of participants have shouted slogans calling forward the king ''to get missed and leave the country.''

Nepal's Constitution prohibits so remarks against the constitutional monarch.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Kyodo freshs International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group