Excelsior Correspondent MENDHAR, Apr 28: At least 19 members of two rival groups were injured in a bloody clash at Banola village, about 8 kms from here in tehsil Mendhar of district Poonch today. Reports said the clash took place over an issue of construction of a primary school at the village. The Sarpanch Banola- Kaneti, Aftab Ahmed and others wanted to construct it in Ward 7 while other party led by Safdar Hussain Shah intended to construct it in Ward 4. Safdar had already carried out some plinth work in Ward 4 at a proposed site while Sarpanch and party had got obtained stay order from the court. Yesterday, Safdar Party re-started the work at the site. Today morning, the Sarpanch informed Mendhar police about the violation of court order and also narrated that there was chances of violence. At around 11 am when the Sarpanch and party went to the site and asked the second party to stop work, they got agitated. It was followed by tiff and then a clash. Both the parties used lathis and some sharp edged weapons and also pelted stones on each other. One of the villagers also fired four rounds but no body was hit with gun fire. But it created scare in the area. Some women including wife of Sarpanch were also injured. Police party led by SHO Farooq Badana reached after the clash was over with the intervention of some elderly people of the area. SDM Mendhar Shafiq Ahmed Choudhary, Tehsildar Iqbal Singh and Naib Tehsildar rushed to the village after coming to know about the matter. Additional policemen were deployed there to control the situation. Later, SP Poonch Shamsheer Hussain, Addl DC and DySP Hqs also reached there. The injured were rushed to Mendhar hospital where five of them were referred to GMC hospital Jammu. Both the parties have lodged counter FIRs and the police was investigating. Those referred to GMC are Sarpanch Aftab Ahmed Tabi, teacher Muktar Ahmed, Aziz Hussain, Safdar Hussain Shah and Aziz Fatima, wife of Hanief Shah, residents of Banola. The members of both the groups had also some clash at hospital where situation was defused by policemen deployed there. Inquiry has also been ordered in this connection by the District Administration. SP Poonch when contacted said that clash took place over an issue of construction of Govt school building. While down playing the incident, he said it was just minor clash and situation was well under control. He said counter FIRs have been registered and investigation started. Nobody has been arrested so far. He said there were allegations of firing by one Sharief Shah and the police was looking into the matter.
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