Nepal's royal government has imposed a day-time curfew in Kathmandu and its suburbs on Friday after an opposition alliance said it will hold a pro-democracy rally on that day.
Police have also rounded up nearly 80 political activists and cut off cell phone communications ahead of the rally. But political activists say hundreds of people have been detained.
India, Japan, the United Nations and the European Union have expressed concern about the arrests and restrictions, calling them regrettable.
Nepal's Home Minister Kamal Thapa says the arrests were a protective move to prevent Maoist rebels from infiltrating the protest and inciting violence.
An alliance of seven political parties has called for the rally despite a government ban and Maoist rebels have been urging support for the protest.
The king fired the elected parliament and seized absolute power last February.
Some information for this report provided by AP.