Narayangarh, August 9:

Nine students were injured in a clash between members of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) and the CPN-UML affiliated All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) of the Rampur-based Agriculture and Animal Science Campus last night.

Thirty students led by the ANNISU-R’s Rampur Campus unit committee vice-chairperson, Tank Khanal, attacked students of the ANNFSU at 11 pm following a dispute over a hostel room.

Nine ANNFSU students, including the union’s campus unit primary committee chairperson Bibek Poudel were injured, ANNFSU central member Uttam Adhikari said today.

The injured students are undergoing treatment in the Bharatpur-based Medical College and Teaching Hospital where the condition of Madhav Parajuli and Mukund Bhusal is critical, an ANNFSU source said.

Stating that the clash occurred over the issue of sharing rooms in the hostel, ANNISU-R district chairperson Lal Bahadur Tamang said efforts to settle the dispute are on.

The ANNFSU organised a corner meeting on the campus premises this morning and demanded action against the guilty.

ANNFSU’s Rampur Campus Primary Committee secretary Khemraj BC, in a statement today, said the campus will remain closed until action is taken against the guilty.

The ANNISU-R students who came along with cadres of the Young Communist League in a taxi and a van attacked the ANNFSU students, the statement said.