Updated on Thursday, May 25, 2006, 00:00 IST

Kathmandu, May 25: Hindu groups opposed to the government's decision to declare Nepal a secular state today blocked roads and burnt copies of a state-run newspaper during a strike called by them in the southern industrial town of Birgunj.

Transport services were disrupted in Birgunj, which lies on Nepal's border with India, after the Hindu groups blocked roads to protest against the government's decision, witnesses said.

They also burnt copies of 'The Kathmandu Post' because it carried an article that supported Nepal's renaming as a secular state instead of a Hindu kingdom, the paper reported.

It said they stopped a vehicle carrying 1,700 copies of the newspaper and burnt all of them.

In a separate development, all medical services, except emergency, were closed across Nepal today in protest against attack on health institutions over the death of a patient in a Kathmandu nursing home due to shortage of oxygen cylinders.

Angry over the patient's death earlier this week, a mob vandalised the private hospital the person died. The hospital management later announced Rs 2.5 lakh compensation to the son of the deceased.

Nepal Medical Association (NMA) had called for closing down all medical services except emergency across the country demanding investigation and action against culprits involved attacks on Lumbini Zonal Hospital in western Nepal and Everest Nursing Home in Kathmandu.

It also appealed to the civil society to help the government to take action against the culprits.

Bureau Report