YF-YCL clash over donation; 14 injured

Dhankuta, August 30:

Fourteen persons were injured in a clash between cadres of the Young Communist League (YCL) and Youth Force (YF) in Dhankuta bazaar today.

The YCL and YF cadres had a dispute over the issue of collection of donations from vehicles plying on the Koshi highway last night, the Dhankuta District Police Office said. The row snowballed into a clash today. Yesterday, the YF cadres had attacked Chetan, secretary of the CPN (Maoist)’s Dhankuta district office, accusing the Maoist cadres of forcibly collecting donations and road taxes. The incident occurred while Chetan was taking part in a meeting of the peace committee, which was discussing the issue of collection of road tax and donation by the Maoists along the Dharan-Dhankuta section of the highway.

Taking part in an all-party meeting a week ago, the Maoists had pledged not to collect road tax and donations from now on. The police had to open fire at Madan chowk today.

Nepali army personnel Sudip Shah and Hari Acharya, ANNISU-R cadres Kamal, Dambar and Kajiram Rai, who sustained bullet injuries, have been taken to the Dhran-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences for treatment, the police said. It said three injured civilians, including Gokul Dahal and Hari Bahadur Gurung, are undergoing treatment in the Dhankuta hospital. Five policemen were injured when those engaged in the clash attacked the police. The police apparently fired for self-protection.

Earlier, four YF cadres including Sujan were hurt when he was beaten by the YCL cadres. Maoist district secretary Kamal said the party would retaliate the attack on Cheten.