RAUTAHAT, JUNE 7

Seven policemen, including a deputy superintendent of police, were injured in a clash with locals while trying to enforce prohibitory orders in Rautahat last night.

The clash broke out after police, upon being tipped off about a large wedding party with the participation of hundreds reached the site at Gehadiguthi of Garuda Municipality and urged people to downsize the gathering in view of the COVID protocols.

Miffed at the unwelcome 'interference', an angry exchange with the police ensued, which later culminated in a clash.

'As a huge crowd had gathered at the wedding venue defying the prohibitory order, our team was trying to convince people to follow COVID protocols. In the meantime, people started pelting stones at security personnel, and hence the clash,' said District Police Office Chief SP Siddhi Bikram Shah.

DSP Dwarika Ghimire and six other policemen of Garuda Area Police Office were injured in the clash. While DSP Ghimire, whose ribs were broken in the clash, has been sent to the Police Hospital in Kathmandu for further treatment, others have returned to work following treatment at Garuda-based Grande City Hospital, police sources informed.

Police said three persons were arrested in relation to the clash that took place at about 8:00pm. The arrested are 33-year-old Dilip Sahani and Sunil Kumar Sahani of Gehadiguthi and 37-year-old Radha Sah of Katahariya Municipality, Phatepur.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 8, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.