Senior officers of Khardah police station said one person, identified as Rajesh Ram died near the jute mill on B T Road this morning and another person was injured after they were hit by a speeding car.
Soon after the accident, a group of local residents blocked the major thoroughfare and tried to torch the vehicle.
"The attempt was thwarted by the police, but the mob then turned towards the jute mill and barged inside, ransacking the office of the mill president and some other offices. They also pelted stones at the police and damaged our vehicles, in which five police personnel were injured," said Niraj Singh, Commissioner of Barrackpore Police Commissionarate.
"Preliminary investigations indicate that the protests against the accident was just a smokescreen to get inside the jute mill and ransack the property. We are probing the incident," Singh added.