Phidim, February 24 :

Over 25 persons at Sidin VDC in Panchthar district have been displaced for the past one week following a dispute with the Maoists.

Six Maoists were injured in a clash with local youths when the former seized homemade pistols from the youths. The youths were going for hunting with weapons at Sidin village development committee-4 of the district last week.

The injured Maoists included Kamal Jabeju, Shree Prasad Rai, Tarjan Rai, among others.

“Over 25 persons from Ward Numbers 3 and 4 of the VDC left their houses after the clash with the Maoists,” said former Sidin VDC vice-chairman Ram Kumar Rai.

He has also been displaced to the district headquarters.

“The situation became terrible after an injured Maoist cadre, Shree Prasad, committed suicide.

“Some persons who were not involved in the incident, too, left the village after that,” said Maoist district in-charge Harka Kerung alias Mikso, at a press meet here yesterday.

“The locals were terrified when the Maoists and the local youths started searching for each other,” Rai said.

Saying that the CPN-Maoist “has no intention of displacing any person”, the Maoist district in-charge Mikso urged journalists and human rights activists to facilitate for the return of the displaced persons.