Nine policemen and a villager was injured today when protesters blocking NH-57 clashed with police in Bihar's Araria district.
Around 2000 relief-seekers assembled on the Purnia-Araria National Highway at Gayari village and blocked the road, Superintendent of Police Umashankar Sudhanshu said.
When the police persuaded them to lift the blockade, they turned violent and started throwing stones and brickbats. Some anti-socials in the crowd also fired, he said.
Nine policemen, including Deputy Superintendent of Police, Md Qasim, Station House Officer (Araria PS) Ramashankar Singh and Assistant Sub-inspector Ramvilas Singh, sustained injuries in the firing and stone-throwing incidents, he said, adding they were admitted to a government hospital here.
As lathicharge failed to quell the rampaging mob, police fired two rounds in which a villager was critically injured, officials said.
Locals had launched the blockade to protest against the alleged irregularities in distribution of relief among the people who were affected by the thundersquall that hit the district in April.