:- The sixth day of a general strike called by political parties saw three protesters hurt in clashes at Gangabu, a Kathmandu suburb that has seen violent clashes in recent days. Human rights groups said police fired more than 100 rounds. “In addition to the use of tear gas and rubber bullets, deadly force has been used on a few occasions,” the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said. The UN body said police had been seen attacking bystanders, including women and children, charging into houses, engaging in indiscriminate beatings and causing damage to property. The European Union on Tuesday urged King Gyanendra, who seized absolute power in February 2005, to take urgent action to restore democracy and open a dialogue with Nepal’s political parties. The call came a day after the US dismissed the 14 months of King Gyanendra’s direct rule as a “failure in every regard” and asked him to “immediately” restore democracy. “It is time the King recognises that this is the best way to deal with the Maoist insurgency and to return peace and prosperity to Nepal,” the US State Department statement said. At least three people were hurt in Kirtipur on the southern reaches of the capital when police moved in to disperse peaceful protesters defying the increasingly restrictive curfew imposed by the royal palace. Two more were injured when police fired at a rally of about 10,000 people at Pokhara, a tourist centre about 200km west of the capital, where King Gyanendra has been residing for the past few weeks. There is now a five-hour daytime curfew in Kathmandu as well as a 10pm-4am curfew. Pokhara and Banepa, a town about 150km south of Kathmandu, were also under day-long curfews. Kamal Thapa, Nepal’s home minister, defended the crackdowns, saying the government had “reliable” information Maoists rebels had infiltrated the protests and planned to grab state power. Kathmandu has had several thousand soldiers, paramilitary and policemen on the streets since Thursday, when the protests began, and independent television stations show daily footage of police using brutal force against protesters and bystanders. Three people have been killed and more than 2,300 have been arrested. The OHCHR said more than 1,300 people, including eight political and civil society leaders arrested in January, remained in detention