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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has drawn the government's attention towards the use of force against victims of loan-sharking demonstrating for few days at Shanti Batika, demanding justice. The government has been urged to respect the citizens' right to the freedom of expression and freedom to assemble peacefully. Issuing a press statement today, the national rights body expressed its concern over the 'use of force' against demonstrators, asking the government for respecting the Citizens right to freedom of opinion and expression and freedom to assemble peacefully guaranteed by the Constitution. The NHRC through the statement issued by its Spokesperson Dr Tikaram Pokhrel demanded proper medical care for those injured in course of the police intervention into the peaceful demonstration at Shanti Batika on Monday. He has asked the government for resolving the issue through meaningful talks. The NHRC said that it also carried out a field monitoring over the incident. During the inspection, it came to know that police forcibly intervened demonstrators as they were preparing to head towards Baluwatar to meet with the Prime Minister from Shanti Batika in Ratnapark. Police restored to the force against the group, seized a cooking gas cylinder being used by them and foodstuffs from the site, apprehending them including aged people before taking them to the Mahendra Police Club and restoring to physical assaults targeting them, according to the NHRC It is said those injured in the incident are being treated at the Trauma Centre, Kathmandu. The NRHC met with the injured and those put at the hospital administration and the Metropolis Police Circle, Durbarmarg to take updates surrounding the incident. Among the injured, most suffered head injury with three cases of severe injuries. "This is the severe violation of the Article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights-1948, the Article 17 of the Constitution, the Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights-1966 which guarantee the citizen's right to the freedom of the expression and the assembly peacefully," the NHRC said.

Nepal reported 171 new Covid-19 cases and two deaths on Tuesday. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 980 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 105 returned positive. Likewise, 1, 312 people underwent antigen tests, of which 66 were tested positive. The Ministry said that 85 infected people recovered from the disease. As of today, there are 397 active cases in the country.

A mountaineer from Ireland, who had climbed Mt Everest 10 times, died while climbing Mt Annapurna at Narchyang in Annapurna Rural Municipality-4 of Myagdi district. An Indian national has been missing and another has been rescued alive by a helicopter. A Kailash Air helicopter rescued Baljeet Kaur from 7, 500 meters on Tuesday afternoon, Indra Singh Sherchan, a member of the rescue team, said. He had gone to climb Mt Annapurna through Pioneer Trekking Company in Kathmandu. Sherchan said Neol Hanna died at the high camp of Mt Annapurna last night. The body of Hanna, who had gone to climb Mt Annapurna through Seven Summit Trek, was brought to the base camp from 6,000 meters this afternoon. Neol and Baljeet were missing since Monday morning. The whereabouts of Anuraj Malu (34) of Kishangadh, Rajasthan, India is yet to be ascertained. Thaneshwor Guragain, Manager of Seven Summit Trek, said that Malu went missing from 7, 500 meters while descending to the base camp after he failed to climb the mountain on Monday afternoon. Four choppers of Simrik, Kailash, Air Altitude and Everest Air were deployed to search for the missing persons.

The loan shark victims have said that they would hold talks only with the Prime Minister. During a press conference organized at Shantibatika in the Capital on Tuesday, they strongly protested against Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha. The loan shark victims said that they would not return home until their demands are met. They also accused the government of suppressing their peaceful protest. Earlier, at least nine loan shark victims were injured in a clash with police at Shantibatika. The Farmers-Workers Struggle Committee has forwarded a six-point demand to the government. The loan shark victims have also accused the government of not giving attention to their demands.