A mob fought pitched battle with the police force when it tried to rescue a man, who was being thrashed on suspicion of practising witchcraft, at Luchapada on the outskirts of the town.
The critically injured person, identified as Rashmi Ranjan Das, was later admitted to MKCG Medical
College and Hospital here, police said.
A section of the villagers started thrashing Das (32) accusing him of practising witchcraft and a police force soon went to the spot on receipt of information.
As the mob turned its ire on the force setting ablaze a police vehicle and pelting stones, police swung into action and chased away the crowd and rushed Das to hospital.
Additional police force was deployed in the village where the situation was tense, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Gagarin Mohanty said.