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| Nepal police kill seven activists | Nepal police kill seven activists |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| At least seven activists from the Maoist party in Nepal have been shot dead by the security forces in the west of the country. | At least seven activists from the Maoist party in Nepal have been shot dead by the security forces in the west of the country. |
| The Maoist leader in the district of Dang told the BBC 16 more are injured. | |
| The incident happened after a scuffle between the Maoists and youths employed by a local candidate of a rival party standing in Thursday's election. | |
| The police have confirmed several deaths, in the worst single incident of election-related violence so far. | The police have confirmed several deaths, in the worst single incident of election-related violence so far. |
| Security is tight ahead of the vote with tens of thousands of police officers deployed across the country. | |
| A Communist election candidate was shot dead earlier by unknown gunmen near the south-eastern town of Nepalgunj. | |
| Political parties were meant to stop all campaigning, speeches and rallies on Monday night but correspondents say it has been common in the past for parties to defy the rules. | |
| Pivotal vote | |
| It is the first election since 1999 and follows the Maoists' decision to quit their armed struggle against Nepal's government in 2006. | |
| NEPAL KEY FACTS Nepal has a population of 26.4 millionIt contains eight of the world's 14 highest mountainsIt was formerly the world's last Hindu kingdomEighty percent of Nepalis are HindusNearly one third of Nepalese live on less than $1 a dayMore than 80% live on the land | |
| The election is for an assembly which will re-write the constitution and the new body is likely to abolish the monarchy. | |
| King Gyanendra seized absolute power in 2005 but was forced to give up his authoritarian rule the following year after weeks of pro-democracy protests. | |
| He has since lost all his powers and his command of the army. | |
| Former US president Jimmy Carter is in Nepal - as one of numerous foreign election observers - from his Atlanta-based Carter Center. | |
| Around 17.6 million people are eligible to vote on Thursday. |