At least three people have died, scores of others were injured and over 200 detained following strikes and protests taking place in Nepal for more than a week after four major political parties agreed to a division of the Himalayan nation into six federally-administered states.
Thousands of security personnel have been deployed in the streets to control the situation. Dissatisfied over the six-province model, a two-day strike called by UCPN-Maoist and other fringe parties on Sunday and Monday brought the nation to a virtual standstill.
An indefinite strike called by some Madhesh-based parties in the southern plains of Nepal since Saturday has paralysed lives across the Nepal-India border.
The government says over 200 people across the country were detained on Sunday and Monday who were taking part in the strikes and indulging in vandalism.