Bara, October 29

Eleven persons, including a former ward chairperson, got injured in a clash on the Gadhimai temple premises in Bara’s Mahagadhimai Municipality today.

The clash erupted over a dispute related to a worship venue for the upcoming Chhath festival on the banks of a pond near the temple.

Former VDC chair of the then Bariyarpur VDC Jhagaru Mahatto and Gadhimai Temple Operation and Development Committee secretary Motilal Kushwaha, among others, got injured in the clash. DSP Ranjitsingh Rathaur said critically injured Kushwaha had been sent to the Birgunj-based Narayani Sub-regional Hospital for treatment. “As for the other injured, after the treatment at the District Hospital in Kalaiya, they were released following an agreement at the District Police Office that they would not clash again over the same issue,” said DSP Rathaur.

Every year, the locals of Chhaupati tole and Mathawa tole would make separate venues for worship during Chhath festival. Today, the clash broke out between the residents of the two villages while they were holding a discussion to resolve the dispute after the locals of Chhaupati tole tried to make a Chhathighat at the site where Mathawa tole locals were planning to make one for them. “Clash broke out after the locals of Chhaupati tole tried to make Chhathighat at the site where the locals of Mathawa tole used to make earlier,” said local Shyam Sah.

According to DSP Rathaur, police teams from the Bariyarpur Police Post and Armed Police Force base camp Bariyarpur took the incident under control. “As security has been stepped up following the incident, the situation is under control now,” he said.