Residents resist policemen at Nodakhali on Thursday morning. Picture courtesy STAR Ananda

Members of a resistance group beat up five men they suspected to be robbers, killing one, at Nodakhali on Wednesday night. Twelve men were arrested in connection with the incident, prompting a roadblock by residents on Thursday.

Members of the resistance group spotted the five around 10pm. “When we asked them to stop, they started running. We chased them down. Since they could not answer our questions, we became sure they were robbers,” said Prabir Mondal, a member of the group.

Police, however, said the five were returning home to neighbouring Birlapur after visiting a house in Falta to settle a marriage.

When officers from Nodakhali police station reached the spot around 11pm, the five were bleeding profusely. “Not only did the resistance group members beat up the five mercilessly, they also stopped us from taking the injured to hospital,” said an officer. The 12 were arrested early on Thursday.

The five were taken to a local hospital, from where they were shifted to MR Bangur Hospital, where 32-year-old Abdulla Rafiq Mondal died.

When a police team reached the area on Thursday morning, residents demanded that the 12 be released. About 500 of them put up a roadblock on Nodakhali Road, which connects Calcutta and Budge Budge, from 7am to 2pm.

“There was a scuffle between the protesters and our men. Ten people, including four policemen, were injured,” said a senior officer.