BANKE: A clash ensued between the police and locals at Triveni mode in Nepalgunj on Tuesday owing to confusion over 'grocery hours'. Two people suffered minor injuries in the incident while a police van was vandalised by locals in the clash.

According to Area Police Office's Inspector Hari Bahadur Basnet, people started pelting stones at the police as they were trying to move people that were defying lockdown orders. "We were pelted stones at while trying to detain a person who abused the police for asking him to shut his store which was open past allowed time," the Inspector said. "The store owner has now been taken in custody and security personnel have been deployed in the area."

The situation is now under control, the police informed.

However, the locals provided a contradictory account of the incident. According to the locals, dispute arose as police started manhandling and beating up the store owner.

Incidents like these have become commonplace in Nepalgunj because of inconsistencies in notice issued by the district administration regarding the loose-hours. The notices, while on somedays mention that everything will remain shut from 10 am, on other days change the time to 4 pm. Such inconsistencies have led to people thinking that grocery stores may open prior to the stated time limit.

Meanwhile, Banke District Administration has issued curfew in Nepalgunj on Tuesday which will be in effect till Thursday midnight.