Around 600 squatters, who are from Dang´s border villages, had been living in the forest area for the past one month alleging atrocities by India´s Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) in the villages.
A team of District Forest Office (DFO) and security personnel from Nepal Police and Armed Police Force had gone to the forest at six in the morning to evict the squatters. Women, children and elderly left the forest but the youth clashed with the security personnel. Over half a dozen youth sustained injuries in baton charge by police.
Policeman Pattulal Chaudhari of Area Police Office Gadhwa and 20-year-old Gangaram Roka of Rajpur-9, Bhauwa were injured in the clash. Roka sustained injuries to the head and is being treated at primary health center in Lamahi. Chaudhari´s has received injury to his shoulder.
Local administration sent around 70 of the women, children and elderly to Kusum in Banke and a few others to Koilabas after the clash. Some boys and girls headed to the jungle, police said.
According to an eyewitness, Hutaram Adhikari, police fired teargas shells during the clash. Police have taken five squatters in control, which include the Border Squatters´ Struggle Committee Advisor Chandra Prakash Khadka, Shanta Budhan, Shyam Roka, Deviram BK and Prithvi Gharti.
The DFO staff and security personnel have demolished around 700 huts erected by the squatters in the forest area.
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