A child sustained critical injuries when police shot at him during a clash between law enforcers and locals in Kawahigoth, Suwarnapur rural municipality of Bara district of southern Nepal on Thursday.

The 14-year-old Ranjan Yadav is undergoing treatment at Birgunj-based Narayani Vayodha Hospital.

Three police personnel have also been injured in the incident and they are undergoing treatment at a Kalaiya-based health facility.

SP Krishna Pangeni, the chief of the Bara District Police Office, says the child got injured when the police opened the fire in the air for self-defence after the clash.

A group of locals had supplied some packs of onions on motorcycles from India last night. Since the Indian government suspended the export of onion, such activities were ongoing in the area. However, a police team confiscated onions last night, and it compelled the locals to attack police, claims Pangeni.

“Our team was small, but they attacked everyone. They vandalised our vehicle and motorbike,” the official claims, “After three personnel were injured, we were compelled to open fire.”