Police shoot at protesters in west Nepal town killing 3

KATMANDU, Nepal: Police opened fire on protesters in western Nepal on Wednesday, killing three people, an official said.
Government administrator Chetra Bahadur Bhandari said police were compelled to shoot at the demonstrators who had surrounded the district administration office and began attacking the building.
They demonstrators were protesting the beating of some local people by rival groups a day earlier and allege the authorities failed to take action.
Bhandari said an indefinite curfew has been imposed in the town about 550 kilometers (310 miles) southwest of the capital, Katmandu.
The two sides of the dispute had gathered at the office on Wednesday so that the officials could resolve the differences.
However, the two sides began clashing with each other and police and they began throwing stones at the administration office. Police first fired in the air but had to shoot at the protesters to control the situation, the official said.
Bhandari said officials were investigating and searching the area for the attackers.
The protest was not related to the rallies being held across this Himalayan nation to celebrate the declaration of a republic state on Wednesday.
Security has been stepped up across this Himalayan nation for the planned rallies in major towns and cities. The special elected assembly meeting in Katmandu for the first time on Wednesday is scheduled to make the declaration, and celebrations are planned throughout the country.
The assembly is to abolish Nepal's centuries-old monarchy and declare the country a republic state.(International herald tribune)