Around 50 Dalits, including women, were injured when members of the upper caste tried to stop them from entering a temple in western Nepal, police said.

The Dalits had entered the temple at Shaileswori in Dipayal Municipality of far-west Nepal on Sunday following an agreement reached last week between government representatives, Maoists and the district administration.

It was agreed that the Dalits will enter the temple under police supervision.

The district administration had also reached an agreement with the temple's priest to this effect.

But a group of upper caste people suddenly attacked the Dalits and also vandalised the offices of some organisations working against caste discrimination, police said.

The injured Dalits, which included women, were admitted to the hospital.

About 15 of then were in serious condition.

The attackers also damaged property in some offices of Dalit organisations located nearby and attacked some journalists and seized their cameras.

Half a dozen policemen were also injured when they tried to stop them from pelting stones at the district administration office, eyewitnesses said.