Kathmandu: Deserted streets, army patrolling and limited movement marked the second night of curfew imposed by Nepal army in Kathmandu Valley after the violent protests that claimed multiple lives. However, the army issued an update Thursday, extending restrictions while allowing some relaxation for public movement.
Essential services, such as medicine shops, fire trucks, vehicles for health workers, movement of security personnel, media ambulances, and transport of food, milk, vegetables are operational. Passengers travelling to and from the airport are allowed to commute.
The prohibitory orders will remain in effect from 11 am to 5 pm (local time) Friday. Curfew will kick in at 7 pm and end at 6 am Saturday.
As soon as the curfew was imposed Thursday night, army personnel on patrol asked residents to go inside their homes. In the city centre, roads were empty and security personnel were stationed at every checkpoint. The permits and identity cards of all commuters on cars, bikes and cycles were double-checked.
Kathmandu resident Ram G.C., who was ferrying passengers to the airport was stopped at multiple checkpoints. “This happened so abruptly, no one was ready. We are witnessing such a curfew after so many years”, he said. Ram is a property dealer, but because of protests, he has been ferrying stranded passengers from hotels to the airport, and vice versa.
However, amid the desolate look that Nepal’s capital city wore, the Gen Z are still on the streets—not protesting, but playing football, the streets being their ground. Even a few children looked eager. However, out on the streets with their parents, they merely watched the play unfold from across the road.
ThePrint’s Manisha Mondal brings you photos from the Kathmandu Valley.
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