Tension in Gorkha as Dahal, Bhattarai men clash

GORKHA, Aug 15: Tension remained high in Gorkha on Monday following a dispute over the issue of rice supply.



A clash between the two factions of the Unified CPN (Maoist)—one led by party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and the another close to Vice Chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai—led to the closure of Gorkha bazaar.[break]



Both the groups looked daggers at each other while submitting forms for the supply of rice of Nepal Food Corporation at Machakhola and Sirdibas depots on the last day.



YCL central member Hira Bahadur Pandey was injured in the clash.



Stones hurled by the Maoist cadres close to Dr Bhattarai injured Ashok Lamichane, who went there from Kathmandu.



Akur Timilsena, Deepak Timilsena, Amrit KC and Binod Pandey of the Dahal camp were also hurt in the clash.



Police seized khukuris and iron rods from Bhattarai’s men.



Three motorcycles parked near the office of NFC were vandalized.



A large number of police personnel have been mobilized to bring the situation under control.

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