The operator of an excavator that was filmed threatening villagers in Baitadi has been detained and is in police custody, officials have said.

On Monday, a grim footage showed an excavator charging at villagers who were protesting against the construction of a road in Dashrathchand Municipality.

Gauri Joshi, a local resident, was seriously injured in the incident, and seven others were taken to the district hospital for treatment after the incident.

In the video, the excavator can be seen indiscriminately digging as protesters surround and pelt stones at it. The excavator swings its blade haphazardly, threatening the protesters. Then, in one instant, the excavator’s blade can be seen hitting a woman, toppling her to the ground.

According to Dev Singh Rawal, an assistant health worker at the district hospital, Joshi was unconscious when she was brought to the hospital at around 4:30 pm Monday. She hadn’t regained her consciousness until late on Monday, and is said to have been referred to another hospital.

Talking to Avenues Khabar TV, Gauri’s husband, Jagdish, said his wife was not speaking when he arrived at the hospital. “It’s a condescending attitude towards uneducated people,” said Jagdish.

DSP Dillinarayan Pandey, the district police chief, said the incident happened following a dispute between two groups over opening a motorable road track. He said the local ward office had made preparations to dig for the road.

“The dispute dates back a little longer. One side was in favour of opening the road and another side was against it after their land fell on the proposed track,” said Pandey.

“We had been coordinating with the excavator owner to not use the machine for four days so that we could share the remaining Guthi land among ourselves for building a house and for worshipping. But those in favour of opening the road didn’t accept the plan,” one local resident told Avenues TV.

After the footage was published on Monday night, hundreds of people have expressed outrage on social media platforms, many calling it “excavator terror.”

“It’s not unusual to see landowners protest when an excavator is used on their land, but perhaps it is criminal to use excavator against people instead of removing them from the way,” wrote Shiva Dahal.

Many users have called for authorities to punish the excavator operator.

“People need development, not a massacre,” Gopal Yogi wrote on Twitter. “The excavator operator must be punished.”