Police arrested 18 persons from Baluwatar, near the prime minister’s official residence, Friday who were protesting against the government’s push to grant affiliation to Jhapa-based medical college.

Those arrested are part of the Brihat Nagarik Andolan, a citizen’s movement that has been protesting against the government’s unconstitutional, undemocratic and illegal activities.

People aligned to the movement along with Alliance for Dr KC, a group supporting the protests of Dr Govinda KC against the commercialisation of medical education, had gathered to protest the government's plan to grant affiliation to B&C Medical College.

Among the arrested are Narayan Wagle, Khagendra Sangraula, Yug Pathak, Sanjeev Upreti, Archana Thapa, Bhaskar Gautam, who have been leading the Brihat Nagarik Andolan. Altogether 18 were arrested, the said movement in a statement.

The demonstrators have been held at Maligaun Police Office, according to a statement from the movement.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had recently announced that the college will soon get affiliation from Kathmandu University.

Oli’s announcement came just a week after the senate meeting of the university in which Education Minister Krishna Gopal Shrestha had pushed the proposal of granting affiliation to the medical college.

The college has long been lobbying to secure affiliation but its efforts, however, have been thwarted due to the opposition from Dr Govind KC and his supporters.

Here are some photos of the protest taken by Post photographers Keshav Thapa and Sanjog Manandhar.