Siraha, February 17

As many as 11 individuals were injured when two groups of people clashed at Bidhyanagar of Sukhipur Municipality, Siraha, yesterday.

Police had to fire five rounds of bullets into the air to bring the situation under control.

The clash erupted after dispute between groups led by local Sikiya Mandal and a contractor took an ugly turn.

The contractor’s side had received a contract from the municipality to fish in the pond, which Mandal and other locals opposed.

Mandal’s side had filed cases at the municipality office and the court saying that the pond belonged to their kin. Though the case was sub judice at the court, the municipality had assigned the contract for fishing in the pond to the contractor. When the contractor reached the pond to fish, the clash broke out

Locals Bharoshi Mandal, Sakal Mandal, Dinesh Mandal, among others from Mandal’s side, and Ramesh Kumar Yadav and Narayan Yadav from the contractor’s side were injured in the incident. They are being treated at a polyclinic and Lahan District Hospital.

Police had to open fire and charge batons to bring the situation under control.