Balasore: A woman constable sustained severe injuries in alleged brick-batting by a group of villagers in Angula who staged a road block in their locality following the death of a youth in an accident, on Friday.
The incident took place under Soro police limits in the district.
The injured woman constable has been shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack where she is stated to be critical.
According to reports, the irate villagers staged the blockade after a youth was killed in a road accident close to the village last night.
They demanded immediate arrest of the culpit driver of the vehicle (a dumper) holding him responsible for the death and adequate compensation to the victim’s family.
Local Tehsildar and Soro police arrived at the spot following the incident to pacify the villagers to withdraw the agitation as it caused massive traffic disruption on the road. However, the situation went out of the control when the villagers turned violent. Some of them resorted to pelting stones at the police. A woman constable who was hit by a stone was severely injured.
The police had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the agitators and in the process few protestors also suffered minor injury. They were later admitted to a nearby hospital.
We wanted to pacify the agitators, but they became violent and pelted stones at police. We were forced to resort to the lathi-charge as the situation went out of control,” said a police official.
An FIR has been lodged against some protestors for rioting and obstructing government officials from discharging their duties.