Maoists protest new Nepal Constitution, nearly 200 arrested

Nearly 200 hardline Maoists were on Friday arrested in Nepal as they torched vehicles and forced schools and shops to shut down in a nationwide strike against the drafting of a new Constitution and a deal between India and China to boost border trade through lipu-lekh Pass.Public vehicles remained off the roads while major markets and educational institutions were forced to shut down in Kathmandu and other major cities in the strike called by hardline CPN-Maoist (Chand), led by Netra Bikram Chand.

Hundreds of security personnel were deployed in Kathmandu and surrounding areas to prevent violence during the protest, the first national strike since a devastating quake hit the country in April.Police have rounded up 190 agitating Maoist activists from Kathmandu and other surrounding areas for blocking roads and resorting to vandalism, police said.