[Updated] The District Administration Office, Bardia, has announced an indefinite curfew in Lalpur in Gulariya Municipality-11 in Bardia district effective 10:00 am on Monday. The curfew was clamped in the wake of a clash that ensued after a dispute erupted between locals and pilgrims preparing to immerse an idol of Durga Bhawani at Lalpur on Sunday evening. According to locals, Muslims in the area were also taking part in a procession at the same time, and due to congestion on the road, the two parties clashed. Five people were injured. Police used tear gas and opened aerial fire to disperse the mob. In view of the situation and, the local administration imposed the curfew until further notice, according to Chief District Officer (CDO) in Bardia, Narayan Prasad Bhattarai. Efforts were underway to bring to both parties to talks, said CDO Bhattarai said. जिल्ला प्रशासन कार्यालय बर्दियाले नेपालगञ्ज-गुलरिया सडकखण्ड अन्तर्गत पर्ने लालपुरको एक किलोमिटर क्षेत्रमा कर्फ्यु आदेश जारी गरेको छ । दुर्गा पूजाको मूर्ति बिसर्जन गर्ने हिन्दु समुदाय र मोहरमको ताजीया बिसर्जन गर्ने मुस्लिम समुदायबीच झडप भएपछि स्थानीय प्रशासनले गुलरिया नगरपालिका ११ लालपुरको ५ सय मिटर वरपरकाे क्षेत्रमा कर्फ्यु लगाएको हो । प्रमुख जिल्ला अधिकारी नारायणप्रसाद भट्टराईले भने, ‘शान्तिसुरक्षा भंग भई तनावग्रस्त स्थिति उत्पन्न भएपछि निषेधाज्ञा जारी गरिएको छ ।’ निषेधाज्ञाको अवधिभर लालपुरमा दुईजना भन्दा बढी ब्यक्ति एक ठाउँमा भेला हुन, सभा सम्मेलन गर्न र विरोध प्रदर्शन गर्न नपाइने प्रमुख जिल्ला अधिकारी भट्टराईले बताए । हिन्दु समुदायको दुर्गा पूजाको मूर्ति बिर्सजन गर्ने र मुस्लिमको ताजिया बिसर्जन गर्न जाने बाटो एउटै परेपछि दुई पक्षबीच आइतबार साँझ झडप भएको थियो । हिन्दु र मुस्लिम समुदायबीचको झडप रोक्न प्रहरीले दर्जनौं सेल अश्रु ग्यास र हवाइ फायर गरेको थियो । प्रहरी र सर्वसाधारण दुबैतर्फ एक दर्जन बढी घाइते भएका छन् । आइतबार साँझ स्थानीय प्रशासनले तत्कालै बल प्रयोग गरी स्थिति नियन्त्रणमा लिए पनि सोमबार बिहान पुनः दुबै पक्षबीच ढुंगा हानाहान भएको थियो । त्यसपछि असहज परिस्थिति थप नबढोस् भनेर स्थानीय प्रशासनले कर्फ्यु लगाएको नेपाल प्रहरीका प्रवक्ता मनोज न्यौपानेले अनलाइनखबरलाई जानकारी दिए । कर्फ्यु लगाइएका कारण नेपालगञ्ज-गुलरिया सडक खण्ड पूर्णरुपमा बन्द छ । समस्या समाधानका लागि जिल्ला प्रशासन कार्यालयमा राजनीतिक दल सुरक्षाकर्मी, स्थानीय बुद्धिजिवि लगायतको सर्वदलीय-सर्वपक्षीय बैठक बस्ने तयारी भइरहेको छ । Update..... The curfew, which had been imposed since Monday morning in the wake of a Hindu-Muslim clash in Lalpur area of Gulariya Municipality, was lifted on Tuesday morning. However, a large number of security personnel have been deployed in the Lalpur area. Security personnel from the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force are on high alert in the area in a bid to foil any potential clashes. The tension between the two groups flared on Sunday when the Hindus were due to immerse the idol of goddess Durga and the local Muslims were observing Tazia, a religious procession. As many as seven locals and two police personnel were injured in the clash. A shop and a house were torched in the incident. Police resorted to baton charge, lobbed teargas canisters and fired eight rounds of warning shots to bring the situation under control. According to Chief District Officer Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, the curfew was lifted after the situation gradually turned normal.