Sundargarh/Hemgir: Chaos prevailed after atleast ten persons were hurt from gunfiring following a group clash within Hemgir police limits of Odisha's Sundargarh district late on Thursday night. As many as 10 persons have been detained in this connection.

While some of the injured victims were taken to Raigarh hospital, one of them, identified as Mantu Tolani (32) of Mantutolani, was rushed to the district headquarters hospital following a serious head injury.

The clash erupted between two groups over ownership of the coal washery at Garjanbahal. The opposing parties, who were from bordering Raigarh and Sundargarh, not just fired gunshots but also attacked each other with swords and went on to vandalise the washery.

As per reports, the two stakeholders of the washery were at loggerheads over ownership of the facility. On Thursday night, one of them locked the washery door while the other tried to open it. The tussle snowballed into a full-fledged group clash as members from both parties started attacking each other with swords and even fired several rounds from guns apart from vandalising the washery.

The vandalism, sources said, went on for almost an hour until police got information and reached the spot. The injured victims were rushed to the hospital. Till reports last came in, the clash was ongoing and security was beefed up in the area to prevent any further flare-ups.