BANNU: At least 17 people were injured when enraged internally displaced persons (IDPs) clashed with police at a food distribution centre here on Thursday.

Nine of the injured were police personnel and the rest IDPs.

According to sources, the incident happened when police personnel attempted to control some IDPs who had turned violent during distribution of rations at the Bannu sports complex.

The enraged IDPs began pelting stones at police personnel when they took measures to control them, the sources said.

The protesters torched a makeshift shelter and started looting relief goods. Police used teargas and batons to disperse the group.

Hundreds of protesters later blocked the Bannu-Kohat road with large boulders placing heavy stones on it.

Thousands of IDPs had been waiting in long queues for hours to get rations and other relief items for the month of November when the clash took place.

A policeman on duty said the enraged IDPs tried to loot a loaded truck which had entered the centre. Police acted to stop them, which led to the clash.

But, some IDPs alleged that policemen were distributing food in an unfair by obliging and neglecting others.

They said they had objected to the behaviour of policemen and the latter used force against them.

Police arrested over a hundred protesting IDPs.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2014