Patna: An alleged liquor smuggler was killed in an encounter with the police in Katihar district early on Wednesday, triggering violent protests by residents. At least three policemen, including the station house officer of Kachna police outpost, were injured.

Police said a 25-year-old youth was gunned down by Kachna police SHO Dilip Kumar Ojha after he opened fire at a police team that tried to intercept liquor smugglers riding on three motorbikes near the Belsar railway crossing under the jurisdiction of Barsoi block in Katihar district.

The bullet hit Mukesh Nonia's hip. He was rushed to Barsoi hospital where he died. The police seized 87 litres of Bengal made liquor from him. His other associates managed to flee under cover of darkness. Barsaoi is 5km from the Bengal border and 70km from the district headquarters.

Katihar superintendent of police (SP) Siddharth Mohan Jain said as news of Nonia's death spread, residents assembled near the Kachna police outpost and ransacked it. They also tried to snatch a cop's rifle. The police had to fire in the air. Nobody was injured in the police firing.

Jain said he had recommended a magisterial inquiry into Nonia's death as per National Human Rights Commission guidelines. The post-mortem was conducted under the supervision of a medical board and video-graphed. A complaint had been lodged on the statement of Nonia's family.

The SP said the police personnel deputed at Kachna police outpost had undertaken a vehicle checking drive around 4am on Wednesday following inputs that a huge consignment of liquor was being smuggled to Katihar's Barsoi from Bengal.

The police opened fire in self-defence. However, a bullet hit one of the smugglers, leading to his death, he told The Telegraph over phone from Katihar.

He said additional armed forces had been deployed at Belsar Bazar as a precautionary measure. The three injured cops have been admitted to the local government hospital for treatment. The SP described the situation as tense but under control.

Residents were demanding ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh and a magisterial inquiry into the death of the deceased. The police have lodged an FIR against the people involved in road blockade and attack on the police outpost. The protesters had pelted the police station with stones.

A source in the police headquarters said incidents of attack on the police force have witnessed a sudden spurt ever since the state government tightened its noose around bootleggers. The Katihar incident is no exception, he said.