Over 40 people were injured in a clash between police and cadres of UCPN (Maoist)-led 30-party opposition alliance on Saturday after the latter forced its way towards Constituent Assembly building deemed as restricted zone by the government. A mass led by UCPN (Maoist) leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha from Tinkune made their way to the restricted area at New Baneshwor and security personnel stopped them in front of Trolley Bus office and barred them from moving past the CA building. However, the mass pushed itself forward through the middle of the road compelling the security personnel to resort to baton charge. Police also fired 21 rounds of tear gas shells in order to contain the agitated mass. Though the exact number of the injured is not known, the National Human Rights Commission said at least 45 people were hurt in the clash. According to the NHRC and the Ministry of Home Affairs, 16 of the injured were police personnel. Organisers, however, claimed at least 150 were injured as police used force. The Baneshwor-based Civil Service Hospital’s emergency ward ran out of space to treat wounded protesters. Health workers treated the injured in the corridor as well. A total of 32 people, including two policemen, were admitted to the hospital. Most of them had their heads bleeding, while some had their hands broken. Few other demonstrators sustained injuries in their abdomen, chest, knees and the back. “The number of patients is three times more than the capacity of emergency ward,” said Manju Bhattarai, nursing supervisor at the hospital. The hospital mobilised 12 nurses and six doctors pooled from other wards. The ward normally has four nurses and four doctors. Hospital sources said at least 10 commoners were also admitted to the hospital after they were injured in the clash. “I was heading home through this route but caught in the clash,” said Bishnu Prashad Karki, 35, a mason, who left the health facility after receiving treatment. He was leaving the hospital bare foot as he lost a shoe in the scuffle. UCPN (Maoist) leader Shashi Shrestha sustained injury on her head. “I was trying to control the crowd, but I got baton on my head. This is a state suppression of peaceful protest,” she said. The area remained tense for nearly for three hours. Police, meanwhile, said they confiscated around 600 bamboo sticks in Thankot during the screening of vehicles entering the Capital for the mass gathering on Saturday morning. They had also seized around 2,000 sticks from Trolley Bus station on Friday night. Senior Superintendent of Police Narayan Singh Khadka, spokesperson of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner’s Office, said the demonstration was peaceful apart from the “minor” clash in New Baneshwor. He said no cadres were arrested throughout the day.