The skirmish ensued after scores of people who remain displaced after a Makali River deluge on June 17 took to the street to press the government, which continues to turn a blind eye to their plights.
The police even opened two rounds of blank fires to disperse the angry mass that blocked a strategic bridge on the Mahakali River, which links Nepal and India, for two hours.
A dam built unilaterally by India on the Mahakali close to its border with Nepal had led to the deluge of a large swathe of land in Kanchanpur, washing away hundreds of acres of arable land, properties worth billions of rupees and, most importantly, rendering 148 families homeless and destitute.[break]
As a desperate move to make their voices heard, the agitators also padlocked the District Election Office, which is busy with the preparation for the Constituent Assembly election slated for November 19.
During Tuesday´s skirmish four agitators including Man Bahadur Pun and Lok Mani Thagunna were mercilessly thrashed by the police, said Raghubir Thagunna, the secretary of the flood victims´ struggling committee.
When the local authorities remained apathetic to their demand for assistance even a month after the deadly flooding, the victims had gone to Kathmandu to urge the centre for an immediate compensation.
Dejected after their hopes were dashed by the Singhadurbar, the victims had then returned to Kanchanpur to reorganize themselves for fresh round of agitation.
"We have been virtually disowned by the central as well as the district authorities. Now even the police administration does not have any mercy on us. Couldn´t they see that that the protest was the only option left for us," cried Pun.
Though more than 12 dozen families had lost everything they possessed, the government has so far provided on Rs 35,000 to each of the families along with a few kilograms of rice, pulses and a handful of edibles.
Meanwhile, the district administration, too, is in the mood to shrug off its responsibility.
"The problem should be addressed at the center," said Chief District Officer Krishna Bahadur Katawal.
Related story
PM commits relief support to Mahakali flood victims
