Itahari, September 27:

Ten agitators and three policemen were injured in a clash with locals in Duhabi of Sunsari district last night and this morning over the issue of checking the documents of motorcycles. Havaldar Bhale Bhujel was injured last night when a mob attacked him.

Constables Kaman Singh Rai and Deepak Danuwar were injured in another incident today.

The condition of agitator Satish Shah, who has been taken to Koshi zonal hospital, is said to be critical.

After today’s clash, an enraged mob went on the rampage and vandalised 22 vehicles, police said. The Duhabi bazaar shut down while vehicles stayed off the Duhabi road section.

Transport entrepreneurs staged a counter-agitation against the vandalism. Rampaging locals also hurled a petrol bomb at a police vehicle this afternoon.

Tension has mounted in the area after these incidents.

Police fired three rounds in the air to disperse the mob.

Police personnel have been deployed in large numbers to control the situation. The whole

day, angry locals pelted police with stones and clashed with them.

The situation turned ugly last night when a police constable got into an argument with

a chatpate seller. Claiming that he was manhandled, the seller and some 70 others thrashed constable Bhale Bhujel to within an inch of his life.

Bhujel has received 30 stitches in his head and is being treated at the Biratnagar hospital.