One person was killed and four others were injured when police opened fire on Sunday to disperse a mob protesting alleged inaction in probing the death of a boy under mysterious conditions at Bhuban in Dhenkanal district, official sources said.
Unable to control the mob by using mild force, the police opened fire when the huge crowd, staging a demonstration and blocking national highway no 200 outside Bhuban police station, turned violent and set afire three government jeeps and another vehicle, the sources said.
Five persons who were injured in police firing were taken to a nearby hospital where one of them succumbed to injuries, additional district magistrate Gopabandhu Pradhan said.
The victim was yet to be identified.
The situation in Bhuban, 70 km from Orissa, was tense but under control, the sources said.
Senior police and district administration officials rushed to the spot and additional police personnel were deployed in the area, the sources said.
The demonstrators were alleging police inaction in investigating into the death of 15-year old student, Bimalendu Nayak, who was appearing for the matriculation examinations.
Bimalendu went missing on March 18 and the matter was reported to the police. His body was later found from Dhenkanal town on March 20.
{{/usCountry}}Bimalendu went missing on March 18 and the matter was reported to the police. His body was later found from Dhenkanal town on March 20.
{{/usCountry}}The body was identified by his family members who took it to Bhuban on Saturday.
The family members later staged dharna in front of Bhuban police station last night along with the boy's body demanding proper investigation into his death and adequate compensation.
When the news spread this morning, a large number of people gathered outside the police station and staged the road blockade, the police said.