Hafizul Rahman, a resident of Nandakumar earned the ire of some residents of Haridaspur village of Panskura area who suspected him to be thief as he had entered a house without permission, police said.
The angry residents surrounded and quizzed Rahman repeatedly and when he failed to answer them they assaulted him fatally. He later died at the Tamluk hopsital.
As the news of his death spread a group clash followed in the village and police and RAF rushed to control the situation.
However, as the two sides attacked the police and rained stones and bricks on them, the police resorted first to lathicharge and then burst teargas shells.
About 18 people - eight policemen and ten villagers were injured, the police said.
Later, police arrested eight people in connection with the incident.
A police picket was posted at the village and the situation was now stated by the police to be under control.