Anti-royal protester killed in Nepal

KATHMANDU: An anti-royal protester was killed by security forces in southern Nepal on Monday, the fifth death since widespread protests hit the country in the past two weeks, a district official said.

"We have received reports that one protester died while being rushed to the hospital after security forces opened fire at an anti-royal demonstration," said an official from the Bara district office on condition of anonymity.   

Five others were injured in the shooting in the district 220 kilometres south of Kathmandu and are being treated in hospital, the official said.

Monday marks the 12th day of anti-royal protests that have mushroomed across the insurgency-hit country. 

Opposition parties have called an indefinite general strike and a large demonstration is planned on Thursday. 

 Protests continued in Kathmandu on Monday, with police using tear gas and baton charges to disperse around 300 tourism workers in Thamel, the tourist district.   

Around 1,000 people blocked the road at Kalanki on the outskirts of Kathmandu but police did not intervene.