Additional armed police forces have been deployed at Nathmalpur village in Bhojpur district following violent clashes between two groups of people late on Wednesday night.

One of the seriously injured has been admitted to Ara Sadar hospital.

Bhojpur superintendent of police (SP) Navin Chandra Jha said two groups of people clashed over an issue related to the Assembly elections conducted in the district on Wednesday. At least four persons belonging to both sides suffered grievous injuries in the clash.

Agitated over the incident, supporters of Ramakant Singh later set three houses belonging to the Scheduled Castes on fire and also damaged their utensils.

The situation was brought under control after the intervention of senior police and administrative officials.

Vijay Singh, the station house officer (SHO) of Barhara police station, under whose jurisdiction the area comes, said two FIRs have been lodged on the statements of Ramakant Bind and Devendra Singh. The accused were absconding after the incident, he added.

The SHO said the condition of one of the injured, Butayee Bind, was stated to be critical.

Three others, who had received injuries in the clash, were released on Thursday after first aid. A dispute over distribution of liquor had led to the incident, he claimed.

Sources said the victims were stated to be supporters of a political party.

The members of the rival faction got agitated over differences in their opinion over outcome of the election held in the district on Wednesday. The incident led to caste tension at the village, around 20km north of the district headquarters at Ara.

The Bhojpur district magistrate and the superintendent of police visited the village to take stock of the situation. "The situation is well under control. But we have deployed security forces as a precautionary measure," SP Jha told The Telegraph over phone from Bhojpur on Thursday.

In Nawada, a group of people blocked the Nawada-Rajgir road and paralysed traffic for nearly four hours on Thursday demanding action against the culprits involved in throwing objectionable items on the premises of a place of worship on Wednesday evening.

Some women, residents of Chhotki Pali village, found the items scattered all around on the premises when they had gone to offer prayers in the evening. They immediately reported the matter to the police.

Nawada sub-divisional officer Rajesh Kumar said the road blockade was removed after intervention of senior officials, who promised to book the culprits at the earliest.