SUNSARI: A dispute over loud DJ music played by a group of youths preparing for the annual Bol Bam pilgrimage turned violent in Sunsari’s Dewanganj Rural Municipality, leaving one person dead and at least 16 others, including police personnel, injured.

The deceased has been identified as 24-year-old Om Prakash Mehta of Dewanganj-3, who was struck by a police bullet during efforts to contain the violence. He was rushed to Neuro Hospital in Biratnagar in critical condition, where doctors pronounced him dead.

According to police, the incident began on Sunday night when local youths were playing DJ music at high volume before setting off for the Saptakoshi River as part of the Bol Bam pilgrimage. What initially started as a verbal altercation between two local groups quickly escalated into violent clashes involving physical assaults, stone-pelting, arson and vandalism.

Among the injured are Mithilesh Yadav, Amlesh Mehta, Mithilesh Mehta, Amit Kumar Yadav, Rabindra Mehta and Sunil Kumar Mehta, along with several other local residents. They are undergoing treatment at Koshi Hospital, Birat Nursing Home and other medical facilities, police said.

The violence also left eight security personnel injured, including Police Inspector Rakesh Rai, who sustained a head injury. The injured officers are receiving treatment at various hospitals.

According to local Rastriya Prajatantra Party leader Amaresh Mehta, the dispute began at around 9:00 p.m. and gradually intensified, leading to arson, vandalism of vehicles and attacks on residential houses before police intervened to restore order.