KATHMANDU: Clashes broke out in front of Singha Durbar, the main administrative center of Nepal, on Friday at the time when Nepal has enforced a nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus.

A clash broke out between Chinese nationals and police after a group of Chinese nationals, who were staging a sit-in in front of Singha Durbar demanding that they be allowed to go back to their country, tried to enter the premises.

Police then tried to stop them from entering. Some 47 Chinese nationals have been arrested and kept at the Nepal Police Club at the exhibition Road in Kathmandu.

“The police had to resort to force after they tried to forcefully enter Singha Durbar,” SSP at the Metropolitan Police Circle, Shyam Gyawali said.

Some Chinese nationals and DSP of Nepal Police have also been injured in the clash. DSP Hari Basnet of the Metropolitan Police Circle, Singha Durbar was injured after being hit by a stone pelted by the unruly protestors.

They had staged a sit-in in front of Singha Durbar after the Chinese Embassy in Nepal paid no heed to their demands to send them back home.

Chinese nationals had on Thursday demonstrated in front of the Nepal Tourism Board demanding immediate repatriation to their country.

Unruly Chinese nationals attack cops

Police initially tried to remove the protesters holding placards such as ‘I want to go home’ and ‘No money, need to go home’ from the restricted area.

During the scuffle, a Chinese national dragged a policeman by holding his uniform. Then the dispute escalated. The Chinese nationals attacked the cops who came to disperse them.

The Chinese nationals attacked despite the police exercising restraint. The law enforcement agency was compelled to use force after they started pulling the police officer’s uniform.

They attacked policemen after police baton-charged a Chinese woman. Police later managed to get hold of them.

SSP Gyawali said that they have been taken under control and the Chinese embassy in Nepal will be informed.

“We are not responsible to send them home, we will convey the information to the Chinese embassy,” he said.