The Nepal Army was called in, and a curfew was imposed in parts of Kathmandu on Friday after clashes broke out between police and supporters of the former King. Two people, including a TV cameraman, died, and more than a dozen were injured.
The supporters, who want the monarchy to be restored (which was abolished in 2008), held protests. The police used water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets to stop the crowds.
At the same time, a separate rally was held by the Left Front, including leaders like former Prime Ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal. This rally ended peacefully but warned the former King, Gyanendra, that his efforts to reclaim the throne could bring problems.
The Left Front blamed Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli for the rise of pro-monarchy supporters, saying it was because of his bad leadership.
The pro-monarchy rally started around 11:30 am in the Tinkune area. Police stepped in when the crowd tried to move towards Parliament, where a ban was in place. The situation got worse when police fired tear gas at the stage, injuring some of the leaders. A fire broke out in a nearby house, and Suresh Rajak, a cameraman for Avenues Television, was killed while covering the rally. At least 15 people were reported to be injured.
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