Clashes broke out in Rajeev Nagar locality of Bihar Capital, Patna, on Tuesday after a mob clashed with the police protesting an anti-encroachment drive. At least eight policemen were among the 20 to sustain injuries in the violence, the Hindustan Times reported.

The police along with a team of district administration officials reached the area to begin demolishing the illegal buildings on the land acquired by the Bihar State Housing Board, based on the orders of the Patna High Court. However, the mob refuted such an order and said the police action had come without any prior notice, IANS reported.

Rajiv Dubey, the station house officer at the Digha police station was also seriously injured in the clashes. The police said they had opened fire in self-defence.

The mob had set three earth movers and a police jeep on fire to protest the demolition drive, The Times of India reported. “Several police officials were injured in stone and brick pelting by the encroachers, who also chased the police teams that were deployed in the demolition drive,” IANS quoted an unidentified police official.