RUKUM, Dec 29: Two police personnel and eight others were injured in a clash in Chaurjahari Municipality of Rukum (West) on Thursday evening.
Venting their ire against the municipality for damaging their houses and property, locals had obstructed the construction work of Melaunauli road at Chaurjahari-7. According to the locals, the construction work being carried out under the observation of the representatives of the local unit will displace them and make them homeless.
Ten injured as police, locals clash in Rukum West
As the dispute got more serious, locals vandalized the bulldozer used for the construction work. Later, police reached there to control the locals but the situation became worse. Locals have accused the police of unnecessarily using force and baton-charging them.
Tilak Bhandari, a local of Chaurjahari, said that the dispute arose because the road is being constructed without ensuring that it doesn’t harm the property of the people. He says the farms and fields of the locals have been encroached upon for the construction work.
Police Head Constable Nirmala BK and Constable Tek Bahadur Basnet were injured when the locals started pelting stones, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sumit Khadka of Rukum (West). Later, nine people were arrested for attacking the police.
Meanwhile, Nepali Congress (NC), Rukum, has accused the police of misusing power and misbehaving with the locals. “The constitution has guaranteed right to private property,” said Prem Prakash Oli, chairperson of NC’s district chapter, adding, “There is another road just 40 meters away from the area. So, it is not right to forcefully construct the road by damaging the property of locals just to fulfill someone’s vested interests.”
Political meddling has delayed many road projects in the district.
