Patna, Oct 27 (IANS): At least 12 persons, mostly women and children, were injured after a clash over a property dispute in Bihar's Madhepura district on Thursday, police said.

The incident occurred in Gopali Tola village under Murliganj police station in the district. Five of the injured are in critical condition and they were admitted to the Common Health Centre (CHC) in Murliganj block.

The two groups were each claiming a piece of land and on Thursday, they attacked each other with sharp edge weapons.

An official of Murliganj police station said that it was an old property dispute and it earlier reached the police station.

"On that occasion, we managed to settle the matter. Now, both sides were involved in a violent clash on Thursday. All the injured persons belong to two groups. We have not received a written complaint from any side, still we have initiated action against those persons who attacked the victims," an officer of Murliganj police station said, requesting anonymity.