Landless squatters clash with city police at Thapathali

The situation at the banks of the Bagmati at Thapathali in Kathmandu became tense on Monday after the security people from Kathmandu Metropolitan Corporation tried to remove the landless squatters’ settlement from the area.

Tension erupted after the locals pelted stones at the team of police from the KMC who reached there to remove the settlements.

They demanded alternative arrangement from KMC before they removing them from the area.

Landless squatters burned tyres and obstructed the road leading to the squatter settlement around Thapathali area.

The residents of the squatter settlements, who came out with homemade weapons such as khukuris and sickles, showed outrage and yelled slogans against Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand, and Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah.

The High-Powered Committee for Integrated Development of the Bagmati Civilisation and the city government issued a notice on November 4 asking the landless squatters to vacate the settlement by November 20.