Keonjhar: Police on Wednesday arrested two off-duty constables, one of them an absconder in an alleged rape case, who had terrorised people at a local marketplace in Pandapada police limits by brandishing revolvers.

The accused cops - Sadanand Naik and Sushant Mohapatra - unleashed terror at Janghira village following an exchange of words with a shopkeeper at the village market. The accused, allegedly in an inebriated state, argued with the vendor over the price of bananas.

When the shop owner refused to give the bananas at a reduced price, the accused began shouting at him. Local residents objected to their unruly behaviour and asked them to apologise. However, instead of relenting, one of them brandished a revolver, police sources said.

However, the local residents overpowered and thrashed them before they could open fire. Naik is a personal security staff of the BJD's Sadar MLA Abhiram Naik, while Mohapatra is serving a suspension and has been declared an absconder in connection with an alleged rape case in Champua, said a cop.