Angul: Budapanka villagers on Monday morning blocked the Sambalpur-Cuttack road (NH-55) and gheraoed Banarpal police station for more than two hours in protest against police inaction against an FIR lodged by a scheduled caste woman.

Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded on both sides of the road. The protesters called off the strike after the police promised to take action in the case.

The police said one Surath Nayak, 40, of Budapanka village had developed an affair with a 35-year-old widow of the same village. Though Nayak is married, he again secretly tied the knot with the widow in 2013 and later before the notary in 2016. They also solemnised their marriage at a local temple in 2016. The woman has a daughter of six months.

The police said Nayak's first wife had opposed the marriage when she came to know of it. The widow now complained that she had been subjected to torture for dowry. In her complaint lodged at Banarpal police station, she also accused Nayak and his first wife of making derogatory remarks about her caste. She demanded action against Nayak and his first wife on charges of dowry torture, assault and caste abuse.

"We had received the complaint and tried to resolve the problem. When our efforts did not work, we registered the case on June 15," said inspector in charge of Banarpal police station Kanak Kumar Majhi.