At least eight persons, who were among the locals demonstrating against the arrest of 11 persons, were injured in Jaleshwor, Mahottari, on Sunday in a clash with police. Locals of Bela in Jaleshwor were protesting against District Police Office, demanding the release of the 11 persons who were arrested on the charge of looting Devendra Singh’s house in the locality on Tuesday. Police personnel resorted to baton-charging when the demonstrators started moving towards District Administration Office from DPO. Megha Kumari Mandal, Ram Pragas Mandal, Jagani Devi Mandal, Shail Devi Mandal, Manju Devi Mandal, Jogendra Mahato, Bikram Mahato and Ras Bihari Ram have sustained injuries. The injured are receiving treatment at the district hospital. Condition of 10-year-old Megha Kumari Mandal is said to be critical. The demonstrators had demanded a fair probe into the incident, besides withdrawal of the case against the alleged. Police had arrested Binda Kishor Mahato, Brij Lal Mahato, Ram Sakal Mahato and Ram Chandra Mandal among others and filed a burglary case against them. The gang had allegedly looted Rs 340,000, 12 tola of gold ornaments, 20 tola of silver ornaments, a goat, a bicycle, clothes worth around Rs 50,000, 10 quintal wheat, 5 quintal maize and utensils worth around Rs 20,000 on June 16. It is said Devendra Singh, whose house was looted, was earlier involved in a row with the locals regarding a pond in the locality. “The locals must have jointly looted Singh’s house to settle a score,” said Mahottari DSP Lokendra Shrestha.