18 persons have sustained injuries in an altercation that broke out over land issue on Sunday morning at Ghusukpurtol, Ward-7 of Maulapur Rural Municipality. According to the in-charge of emergency ward at Gaur District Hospital Prabin Jha, four of the injured are in critical condition. They were rushed to Gaur-based District Hospital. After first-aid treatment, they were sent to Birgunj-based hospital for further treatment since they were critically injured. Those who sustained normal injuries have been identified as Panila Patel, Mahindra Raut, Jaylal Raut, Bishundayal Raut, Surindar Raut, Dipesh Patel, Rakesh Patel and Bijay Patel, among others. According to District Police Chief SP Yagya Binod Pokhrel, Laxmi Raya, a local of Ghusukpurtol, was accused of encroaching upon the land belonging to Tanaki Raut, a local of the same area. A surveyor was called to measure their lands to determine the boundary between them. As the surveyor from land office was measuring the land, the verbal argument resulted in physical attack. The investigation into the incident is under way, SP Pokhrel told Republica Online. रौतहटको मौलापुर गाउँपालिका-७, सितलपुरको घुसुकपुर टोलमा जग्गा विवादमा झडप हुँदा १८ जना घाइते भएका छन्। स्थानीय लक्ष्मी राय यादवले तनकी राउतको जग्गा मिचेको भन्दै अमिन बोलाएपछि विवाद बढेको थियो। जग्गा नापिरहेकै बेला झडप हुँदा १८ घाइते भएका छन्, जसमा ४ जनाको अवस्था गम्भीर छ। झडपमा तनकी पक्षका पनिलाल पटेल, गौरी राउत, महिन्द्र राउत, जयलाल राउत, विशुन्दयाल राउत, सुरिन्दर राउत, दिपेश पटेल, राजेश पटेल, विजय पटेललगायत घाइते छन्। लक्ष्मी पक्षको पिटाइबाट राम किशोर पटेल, पनिलाल राउत, गौरी राउत र कइल पटेल गम्भीर घाइते भएको प्रहरीले जनाएको छ। उनीहरुको गौरमा समान्य उपचारपछि वीरगन्ज पठाइएको छ। त्यस्तै तनकी पक्षको कुटाइवाट स्थानीय महेश यादव, दिपेन्द्र यादव, जियालाल यादव, मदन यादव, ओपिन्दर यादव घाइते भएका छन्। घटनाको विषयमा गहन रुपमा अनुसन्धान भइरहेको प्रहरी प्रमुख एसपी यज्ञ विनोद पोखरेलले बताए।