RUKUM WEST, Dec 28: Two police personnel and eight locals were injured in a clash between locals and the police at Chaurjaheri municipality. Locals had stalled construction work after individual houses were being destroyed to build the Mailanauli road.

The locals said that the local government's decision to build the road would leave them homeless. As confrontation grew, the locals vandalized a dozer -- which then triggered a clash between the police and locals. The locals, on the other hand, claimed that the police used unnecessary force as they baton charged the protestors.

Tilak Bhandari, a local accused the government of misusing power to build roads at a place where it wasn't necessary. " The Chaurjaheri-Kholagaun road is already in operation around 40 meters below the settlement," he said adding that the new road construction also destroyed arable lands and food grains.

Those injured include Khimraj Sharma, Shankar Jaisi, Nirmala Jaisi, Keshar Jaisi, Shashiram Budathoki, Bhim Bahadur Budathoki, Balaram Jaisi, and Tyaakal Budathoki. The injured police personnel is constable Nirmala BK and head constable Tek Bahadur Basnet, according to DSP Sumit Khadka of District Police Office, Rukkum West.

Nine more have been arrested for attacking police. They include Chandra Bahadur Khadka, Sabin Budathoki, Balaram Jaisi, Birbhadur Kumal, Khemraj Sharma, Naresh Sharma, Shankar Jaisi, Nirak Bhandari and Prakash Bhandari.

The DSP said that a clash had erupted after locals attacked the police. The Nepali Congress's Rukum chapter has expressed concerns in the incident and accused the government of misusing power and position. "While development is necessary, it should not be done at the cost of uncalled damage," a press release issued by the Nepali Congress read.

 
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