Kathmandu:
Nepal's Maoists on Thursday put up a huge show of strength as tens of thousands of their supporters laid a siege to government secretariat here demanding an end to CPN-UML's rule, leading to clashes with police which left 50 people, including MPs and an ex-deputy premier, injured.
Clashes erupted when riot police tried to prevent former rebels from entering prohibited areas during their protest, one of the biggest against the multi-party government led by premier Madhav Kumar Nepal of CPN-UML since the Maoists lost power in May.
Authorities had deployed thousands of police personnel to control Maoist protesters, who were led by their chief Pushpakamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and another top leader Mohan Vaidya 'Kiran'. The Maoist leaders said their campaign was for maintaining "civilian supremacy".
Police resorted to baton charge and fired teargas shells at agitating Maoist cadres, who were trying to break the security shield in the prohibited area near 'Singhdurbar Secretariat', the seat of the government.
At least 50 people, most of them Maoist MPs, were injured in clashes with police, 'The Himalayan Times' said. Among the injured Maoist Constituent Assembly members were Krishna Mahara, Sushma Ghimire, Bhagat Badawal, Rupa Chaudhari, Mahendra Shrestha and ex-Deputy premier Amik Sherchan.
Four policemen were also injured as Maoists pelted stones at the security personnel guarding the area. Police fired 8-10 tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, according to officials.