The incident took place during a protest rally organised by landless people of Shanischare, Pathari, Bayarban and Hasanda VDCs in Morang district, demanding land ownership certificates of areas they have been living off for years. The protesters torched four and vandalised about a dozen vehicles in a bid to block the East-West Highway, police said.

The clash ensued when the agitators hurled stones at the police mobilised at the scene. Bishworaj Pokharel, chief of the District Police Office, said two of the seriously injured officers were taken taken to Neuro Hospital in Biratnagar.

Sixty agitators were held while seven rounds of tear gas shells were fired to take the situation under control, police officials said.

Traffic resumed after additional police and Armed Police Force (APF) cleared the road, with the situation coming to normalcy at around 3 pm.

Around 300 personnel of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force were mobilised in Pathari area to avert any untoward incidents.

Police said the protesters vandalised two of their vehicles. Chief District Officer Ganeshraj Karki said police are searching protesters involved in arson and vandalism.

Meanwhile, issuing a statement, the Landless Struggle Committee condemned police’s intervention.

The local administration should own up the responsibility of the incident, read the statement, demanding unconditional release of their arrested colleagues. The committee threatened to continue their protest if their demands were not met.