Demonstrators celebrating the abolition of the centuries-old monarchy in Nepal have clashed with police near the royal palace in the capital, Kathmandu.

The protesters shouted anti-king slogans, threw stones at the police and tried to storm the palace.

At least 25 people were injured when police beat the crowd back with sticks.

Nepal's new constituent assembly voted late on Wednesday to abolish the monarchy and King Gyanendra has been given 15 days to vacate the palace.

'No alternative'

Clashes broke out late on Thursday evening when hundreds of demonstrators gathered to fix a Nepalese flag to the statue of a former king.

The crowds, chanting "Long live Nepal!", had to be prevented from reaching the gates of the royal palace.

"Until Gyanendra announces with his own voice that he has left the palace and he has accepted the mandate of the people, the people will remain agitated," Reuters news agency quoted Nepali citizen Hem Lal Bhandari as saying.

Earlier on Thursday, the royal standard of the monarchy was removed from the palace, officials said.

The abolition of the monarchy was a key demand of the former Maoist rebels who emerged from April's elections to the assembly as the biggest party.

The former king has yet to make any comment on Wednesday's vote.

One prominent newspaper has reported that Gyanendra is packing his belongings and plans to leave the palace on Friday.

Nepal became a republic on Wednesday night after 240 years of rule by the Shah dynasty.

Correspondents say the Maoists and other politicians are being conciliatory, saying the king should live on in Nepal as a private citizen.

Some militant pro-Hindu and pro-royal factions are campaigning against Nepal's shedding of its royal - and its officially Hindu - status.

The monarchy's fall from grace has come swiftly and was heralded by the 2001 massacre in which the then-Crown Prince Dipendra killed his family and several other royals.

Courtesy: BBC News

Published in : The News, Asia & Region

Keywords : News, Asia & Region, Nepal protesters and police clash

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