Clashes occurred between police and Tharu demonstrators near Kawaswoti after police prevented them from marching ahead in fear that there could be bloody clashes with a rival group. [break]When the situation worsened and demonstrators threw rocks and other missiles injuring inspector and his deputy, police opened fire to control the crowd.
The injured have been identified as Bishal Mahato, Tranabahadur Thanet, Dhanbahadur Thanet and Mahendra Ale Magar and are receiving treatment at Chitwan medical college teaching hospital.
The clashes were continuation of tenstion from Tuesday when Tharu joint struggle committee called Terai strike and the Brahmin-Chhetri and Dasnami community organized mass meeting in Butwal.
The two sides were involved in clashes after Tharu supporters stopped a bus carrying Brahmin-Chhetri and Dasnami supporters to their mass meeting. Later, Tharu National Museum at Dandapani Bazar was vandalized and set on fire.
5 hurt as police open fire on protesters in Kanchanpur