One Avatar Prasad Yadav of the Amarpatti village, who sustained serious injury in his head during the clash, had died in the course of treatment at National Medical College in Birgunj, Parsa. He was hit by a bamboo stick.

Despite the heavy deployment of security personnel in the Amarpatti VDC to prevent any untoward incident and maintain law and order,

activists of the two parties engaged in vandalism, misbehaviour, and issuing threats to each other which resulted in more angry clashes on Thursday. Furthermore, the activists also vandalised the houses of the locals, compelling them to live in constant terror.

Fearing for their lives, cattle herders have not been able to return their home for three days. Likewise, many people, including women and children, have fled the village and have sought refuge with relatives in other places.

“The dispute between cadres of the two parties has terrorised us, and has compelled us to flee our homes,” said a local.

While Yadav died undergoing treatment at National Medical College on Wednesday, 12 people who were injured in the clash are being treated at Narayani Sub-Zonal Hospital in Birgunj, police said.

Stating that they have detained six people in connection with the violent incident, Superintendent of Police Lokendra Bahadur Malla said they had taken special

measures to maintain peace and prevent any untoward incidents.

The clash between the cadres of the two parties had erupted after the VDC secretary and social mobilisers under Local Governance and Community Development Programme failed to allocate the budget for various development projects on time. However, as the presence of VDC Secretary is considered crucial in finalising the budget, social mobilisers blamed the tendency of VDC secretaries operating from district headquarters and reaching the VDCs only during allowance distribution for the delay.

Furthermore, the absence of VDC Secretary Ramesh Bahadur Pandey at the Council meeting further aggravated the situation, said social mobiliser Hemchandra Chaudhary of Amarpatti VDC.

However, VDC office assistant Ramesh Bahadur Chettri, who had attended the meeting instead of VDC Secretary Pandey, said that taking advantage of the situation, some groups with vested interests had disrupted the village council meet. Meanwhile, VDC Secretary Pandey could not be contacted for his comment regarding the matter.