Jajarkot, August 21

Eighteen demonstrators and eight police personnel sustained injuries when they clashed in Jajarkot today.

Leaders of political parties, civil society members and locals, who have been agitating for the last 12 days demanding intact mid-west and Surkhet as its provincial capital, clashed with police while staging a victory rally after their demands were met in Jajarkot today. Some communication and safety equipment of the security force were vandalised in the clash. The district denizens had staged the rally after the three major parties decided to separate mid-west from far-west region.

Kaman Bahadur Khadka, Agitation Mobilisation Committee member, said they clashed with the police when the security forces barred the demonstrators from taking out a torch rally as part of their victory procession. Police launched baton charge after the demonstrators started to pelt them with stones.

All the injured demonstrators are undergoing treatment at district hospital, whereas the injured police personnel have been receiving treatment at District Police Office, said DSP Dan Bahadur Malla.