Bhubaneswar, May 11: Tension gripped the Odagaon area in Nayagarh district after a local resident was allegedly hacked to death by members of a stone quarry mafia during a protest against illegal mining activities.

The deceased has been identified as Ajit Sahu, a resident of Bijay Mandap Sahi in Odagaon.

According to reports, illegal stone quarry operations had been continuing in several parts of the area for a long time, drawing repeated opposition from local residents. On the day of the incident, villagers reportedly intercepted stone-laden vehicles near Kadali Bandh and informed the Police Control Room seeking immediate intervention.

However, locals alleged that police failed to arrive at the spot in time. During the protest, quarry operators and their associates allegedly launched a violent counter-attack on the demonstrators. While two protesters managed to escape, Ajit Sahu was reportedly caught by the attackers and brutally murdered.

Initial reports and eyewitness accounts suggest that the attackers inflicted extreme violence on the victim. His left hand was allegedly severed, the thumb of his right hand chopped off, and several injury marks were found on his body.

Following the incident, enraged residents staged a road blockade on the Odagaon-Nayagarh route demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and justice for the deceased. Vehicular movement came to a halt, leaving more than a hundred vehicles stranded on the road.

Police have reached the spot and launched an investigation into the gruesome murder. Further details are awaited.

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