Students in Kathmandu, Nepal are protesting against rising fuel prices in the country. A bus was set ablaze by a number of students on March 19, 2014, during a strike in the capital of Nepal, after which the police arrested more than 60 people.
The strike was called by student unions across the city to protest against an increase in the prices of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel. The latest price increase came into force last week, after which schools and colleges were shut down and the majority of government vehicles were off the roads. The police deployed about 2,000 officers to patrol the streets and detained protestors as they tried to enforce the strike by stopping vehicles.
Ganesh KC, the police spokesperson said, “We have arrested 67 protestors this morning for trying to stop and vandalise taxis, garbage-disposal trucks and other vehicles”. The spokesperson went on to say that protestors also set a parked bus on fire, but fortunately no one was inside it. Ram Sharan Mahat, the finance minister supported the strike and said that the price hike would only increase the production cost, which will in turn make the economy uncompetitive.
The government refused to roll back significant increases, after which student unions called the strike. Nepal imports fuel from its neighbour India, which is also struggling with the rising cost of fuel.
Photo Credits: Sustainable Nepal
