Jamshedpur, Dec. 9: Sixteen JVM members, including the party's Ichagarh sitting MLA Arvind Singh, were arrested after a clash with BJP supporters at Tiker, around 80km from Jamshedpur, in Seraikela-Kharsawan district in the wee hours of Tuesday.

Singh is seeking re-election from Ichagarh, which, along with 16 other constituencies, went to polls on Tuesday.

The clash left nearly a dozen people, including BJP's Ichagarh nominee Sadhu Charan Mahto, injured amid reports that the JVM men had fired at their rivals although the FIR does not mention it.

While Mahto has sustained minor injuries, two others - Murari Singh (a BJP supporter) and constable Sakaldhar Mahto (escorting the BJP candidate) - were seriously wounded on the head and shoulder. They have been admitted to Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur.

Although the spot falls under Ichagarh police station, Chandil police took action on the direction from an Election Commission official.

Chandil officer-in-charge Rajiv Kumar Singh said that around 2.30am, Mahto informed them that JVM supporters had assaulted them at Tiker in Ichagarh police station area. 'Soon after the call came, the Election Commission observer's local liasing official contacted me and asked me to look into the case as the BJP candidate had claimed that no police officer was present at Ichagarh thana when they went there to register a case. After nearly half an hour, the BJP men arrived at our police station followed by JVM supporters, led by the sitting MLA. But both groups again started fighting near the police station,' Rajiv Kumar said.

Later in the morning, the BJP lodged an FIR against MLA Singh, Navin Singh, Pravin Singh, Vinayak Singh, Bobby Singh, Manoj Singh and 50 unknown people under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC and the ST/SC Atrocities Act.

A counter FIR was also filed by Singh against Mahto, Murari Singh, Dharnidhar Singh and others.

Chandil police have seized 11 vehicles, including two damaged SUVs of Singh, from the spot.

DIG, Kolhan range, Mohammed Nehal said the BJP leaders complained that two of their men were injured in firing by JVM members.

'However, it has not been mentioned in their FIR. We are carrying out investigations and based on the injury report of the injured, we will be in a position to state if firing indeed took place during the clash,' the DIG said.

Speaking to the media at Chandil police station after his arrest, MLA Singh said his rivals had hatched a political conspiracy to get him arrested. 'The manner in which around 150 people tried to damage my vehicles and target my supporters, it is clear that it was a pre-planned move by the BJP candidate, who is enjoying the administration's patronage,' said the three-time MLA from Ichagarh.

Seraikela-Kharsawan SP Durga Oraon rubbished the JVM's allegations. 'We are conducting searches for BJP leaders, whose names have been mentioned in the FIR and will arrest them,' he said.

Efforts to contact Mahto went in vain as both his mobile phones were switched off.

BJP national vice-president and sitting Jamshedpur East MLA Raghubar Das said: 'JVM supporters attacked our men when they had gathered at a place to prepare food.'