BAITADI, OCTOBER 15

Chairman of Surnaya Rural Municipality Bir Bahadur Bista was physically assaulted over the issue of the rural municipality’s centre.

Bista was pelted with stones when he went to remove the padlock put up by the agitating side at the rural municipality office. Bista sustained injuries on his head due to this.

Locals had padlocked the rural municipality office charging Bista of trying to shift the rural municipality’s centre to Pabita. Discussions were held the whole day yesterday to settle the dispute over the rural municipality’s centre but without any conclusion.

Bista had gone to remove the padlock in the evening even though the talks were inconclusive and then the clash occurred, police said. Five policemen and six persons from the agitating side were also injured in the clash.

Three people, who had accompanied Bista were also injured in the scuffle, chief of Patan Area Police Office Inspector Dhandev Saud, said.

The rural municipality’s executive had, last year, decided to shift the RM centre to Pabita.

But Surnaya locals opposed the move and padlocked the RM office saying the issue was sub-judice at the Supreme Court.