Capital city Kathmandu and other districts were hard-hit on Sunday by a general strike called by Nepal's former Maoist guerrillas after clashes between security forces and homeless squatters during a demolition drive killed at least six people and triggered arson and looting in far western Nepal.

Despite the morning chill, hundreds of Maoist supporters began marching at key thoroughfares of the capital on Sunday, burning tyres to bring traffic to a standstill and shouting slogans against the violence in Kailali district, a Maoist stronghold.