The two policemen of a nearby police camp were on their way in a van to Mandarabasti market in Kanas police station area yesterday when a youth blocked their route by parking his scooter on the road.
On being asked to remove the scooter, the youth, identified as Chakradhar Parida of nearby Chotijori village, hurled abusive words in an inebriated state at the policemen after which arguments ensued between them, Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Pipili, Rajendra Kumar Rout said.
As the cops were trying to leave the spot by removing the scooter, a group of villagers attacked them with lathi and firewood injuring them in the head, he said, adding the duo was now undergoing treatment at a hospital in Khurda.
Cases were registered against 21 persons of Chotijodi village, the SDPO said.
Meanwhile, giving a new twist to the incident, the wife of Parida, the main accused, lodged a complaint accusing the policemen of misbehaving with her by passing rude comments and said her husband and other villagers are innocent.
No arrest had been made in this connection and probe into the incident was continuing, Rout said, adding the police was inquirying into the veracity of the FIR lodged by the woman.
The incident was the second such attack on policemen in Odisha in as many days.
A police team, led by ASI Nabin Patel of Lanjiberna in Sundargarh district, was attacked by villagers when they nabbed a fugitive.
While other policemen managed to escape, the ASI was beaten up and thrown into a rivulet on Saturday night leading to his death, the police said.
