Police escorted hundreds of tourists to border towns and the international airport as a nationwide general strike entered its fourth day today, dpa reported. Maoist activists imposed an indefinite general strike demanding the government resign and pave the way for a new government. Local media said 600 Indian tourists stranded in the town of Pokhara, about 200 kilometres west of the capital Kathmandu, were taken to the border town of Sunauli. "Police escorted a convoy of 11 Indian vehicles as Maoist obstructed roads and prevented vehicles from operating," police officer Bishworaj Adhikari said. "They reached the Indian border safely without any incident." Police also rescued eight Swiss tourists who were stranded on a highway after demonstrators stopped their bus en route to Kathmandu, independent Avenues Television reported. The government operated special buses from Kathmandu to take mainly Western tourists to the airport. Many tourists remained trapped in hotels by the strike which shows no signs of ending. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at main intersections of the capital and other towns to enforce their strike, which has halted most commerce and created shortages of food and essential items. -- SPA
