Nepal frees two top political leaders

Madhav Kumar was placed under house arrest after the royal coup in February.

The government of King Gyanendra in Nepal on Monday freed two top political leaders, two days after lifting of the state of emergency, but extended the detention of former Deputy Prime Minister Ramchandra Poudel and nearly 175 lower level political activists amidst calls by political parties to restore full democracy.

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The government also resumed mobile telephone services to about 30,000 subscribers only in Kathmandu, three months after it was severed under emergency rules.

All colleges and most of the schools throughout the Kingdom remained closed in response to a strike called by seven student organisations to oppose the army shootout in a college premises in west Nepal on Friday injuring four students.

Students demonstrated in major parts of Kathmandu and burned tyres to protest against the army action.

CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, who was under house arrest since the royal coup on February 1, was freed late Sunday night after the government withdrew security personnel posted outside his residence here.

Nepal was put under house arrest along with Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala, who was released a couple of weeks ago.

CPN-UML Standing Committee member Amrit Bohara was also freed from house arrest today, party sources said.