Tension mounted in an area between Baleswar town and Chandipur on Saturday in the wake of the murder of a 22-year-old youth by miscreants, who also injured a 24-year-old youth on Friday.
The district administration clamped prohibition orders under Section 144 CrPC in the area besides deploying two platoons of police to prevent further deterioration of law and order.
Ranjit Das of village Gabagaon died on the way to the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack after being transferred from the District Headquarters Hospital. Injured Satyajit Das of the same village was battling for life at the SCB.
In the protest of the barbaric attack on the duo, villagers staged a demonstration before the Town police station demanding immediate arrest of the culprits. The villagers also staged picketing at two places, the Chandipur road near Gabagain Square and Badakhua Square in Purunabaleswar.
Vehicular traffic in the areas was restored following intervention of the administration.
Police said the assailants would be nabbed soon.
“They were around nine people. Eight of them have been identified. Four teams have been formed to nab them. Raids at various places are being made,” said Additional Superintendent of Police Santosh Nayak.
The incident is the fallout of a bitter rivalry between residents of two villages, Gabagaon and Patrapada, since the dispute during the immersion of Goddess Durga idol last year. A violent clash had occurred between the groups in the immersion procession.
Masked goons armed with lethal weapons attacked the duo when the latter were in a barber’s shop at around 10.30 am on Friday.
Satyajit was out on bail from jail on Wednesday. He had been arrested in connection with a previous dispute with rival villagers.