Kathmandu, Nov 18:  Security in the Kathmandu Valley has been tightened after Durga Prasai, coordinator of the campaign called “Save the Nation, Nationality, Religion, Culture and Citizens”, was arrested around midnight.

Police increased security across the Valley out of concern that his supporters and members of the Citizen Rescue Group might stage protests after the arrest. The Kathmandu Valley Police Office in Ranipokhari instructed all three district police ranges to step up security. As a result, there is now a heavy presence of security personnel on the streets.

Prasai was arrested from his home in Bhaktapur on Monday night. Soon after, Prem Kumar Thamsuhang, the general secretary of the Citizen Rescue Group, said they would hold a protest today, which prompted the tighter security measures.

Prasai had been saying he would launch a nationwide protest on December 22 and had been preparing for it. Before that plan could move ahead, a team from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office in Teku and the Kathmandu District Police Range took him into custody.

He is currently being held at the Bhadrakali detention center. Police plan to present him before the court today to seek a custody order for further investigation.

People’s News Monitoring Service